Department of Homeland Security December 3, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is providing guidance regarding electrical equipment installed in hazardous areas on foreign-flagged Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) that have never operated, but intend to operate, on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Chapter 6 of the 2009 version of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (2009 IMO MODU Code) sets forth standards for testing and certifying electrical equipment installations on MODUs. The Coast Guard is considering issuing a rule that will implement Chapter 6 of the 2009 IMO MODU Code and that will be applicable to foreign-flagged MODUs that have never operated, but intend to operate, on the U.S. OCS. In the interim, the Coast Guard recommends that owners and operators of foreign-flagged MODUs that have never operated, but intend to operate on the U.S. OCS, voluntarily comply with Chapter 6 of the 2009 IMO MODU Code.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment upon this proposed revision of a currently approved collection of information. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the information collection notice is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments regarding the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e. the time, effort, and resources used by the respondents to respond), the estimated cost to the respondent, and the actual information collection instruments. During this 60-day period, USCIS will be evaluating whether to further revise the information collection. Should USCIS decide to further revise the information collection, it will advise the public when it publishes the 30-day notice in the Federal Register in accordance with the PRA. The public will then have 30-days to comment on any further revisions to the information collection.