Government seeks comments on divers' paperwork burden—yawn.
Published Date: 8/12/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
NOAA Divers Must Submit Medical Exams
If you are a NOAA diver (including NOAA employees, contractors, or volunteers), you must submit an initial diving physical to the NOAA Diving Medical Officers and provide annual medical documentation to remain authorized to dive. If you do not meet the medical or documentation requirements, you may become unauthorized to dive or be suspended.
Time and Financial Burden on Respondents
NOAA estimates 141 respondents will respond to this collection, with per-response times ranging from 1 minute to 2 hours and a total estimated annual burden of 336 hours. The estimated total annual cost to the public is $11,700 (upper bound) and would be approximately $1,750 if all respondents have private insurance (this lower estimate assumes a $35 copay).
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.