Coast Guard Seeks Extension for Maritime Waste Management and Pollution Prevention Information Collection

Introduction

The United States Coast Guard, operating under the Department of Homeland Security, published a notice in the Federal Register on November 3, 2026, announcing its submission of an Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget. The agency seeks a three-year extension of its approval for information collection number 1625-0072, which covers waste management plans, refuse discharge logs, letters of designation for persons-in-charge of fuel transfers, and Great Lakes dry cargo residue recordkeeping. The action relies on the authority of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, which requires federal agencies to review paperwork burdens and ensure their necessity for proper agency functions.

Regulatory Background and Scope

The Information Collection Request is a central component of the Coast Guard pollution prevention compliance program. Federal regulations require certain oceangoing vessels to maintain active waste management plans and log refuse discharges to prevent marine pollution. Additionally, the collection covers letters of designation issued to individuals acting as the person-in-charge during fuel transfers to ensure operational accountability. For vessels operating on the Great Lakes, specific recordkeeping requirements apply to dry cargo residues to comply with regional environmental standards involving U.S., Canadian, and foreign flagged ships.

The regulatory process requires both a 60-day and a 30-day public notice. The Coast Guard previously published its 60-day notice on May 21, 2026, which elicited no public comments. Consequently, the agency advanced the request without modification to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for final review.

Burden Estimates and Affected Public

The total affected public for this information collection comprises 11,151 respondents, including vessel owners, operators, masters, and designated persons-in-charge. The aggregate annual burden hours for all participating entities total 111,838 hours across various categories. Waste management plan respondents account for 4,034 entities, with new plans requiring approximately 2.5 hours per respondent and modified plans requiring about one hour. Refuse discharge logs involve 3,213 respondents divided into five vessel groups with varying reporting frequencies, where each log entry takes roughly five minutes. Furthermore, 3,756 respondents handle letters of designation for persons-in-charge, taking about ten minutes per issuance. Great Lakes dry cargo residue requirements involve 148 respondents from U.S., Canadian, and foreign jurisdictions with distinct recordkeeping intervals and management plan burdens.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Public participation remains open through December 3, 2026. Interested stakeholders may submit comments to the Coast Guard via the federal eRulemaking portal under docket number USCG-2025-0396, or directly to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Following the conclusion of the public comment period, the Office of Management and Budget will review the submissions and issue a formal Notice of Action determining whether to grant the extension. The outcome will dictate compliance protocols for maritime operators navigating U.S. waters in the coming years.