[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75611-75612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32196]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

[Docket No. TSA-2003-16345]


Notice Requesting Comment on the Imposition of the Aviation 
Security Infrastructure Fee; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration (TSA), DHS.

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period for a notice that was 
published on November 5, 2003. In that notice, the TSA requested 
comments on possible changes to the way it sets the Aviation Security 
Infrastructure Fee (ASIF), which is a fee imposed on air carriers and 
foreign air carriers to help pay the Government's costs of providing 
civil aviation security services. The public comment period was to 
expire on January 5, 2004. This document extends the public comment 
period on the notice for an additional 30 days, until February 5, 2004. 
This extension is a result of a request from the Air Transport 
Association.

DATES: Submit comments by February 5, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments Submitted by Mail or In Person: Address written, 
signed comments to the Docket Management System, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590-0001.
    Comments that include trade secrets, confidential commercial or 
financial information, or sensitive security information (SSI) should 
not be submitted to the public regulatory docket. Please submit such 
comments separately from other comments. Comments containing trade 
secrets, confidential commercial or financial information, or SSI 
should be appropriately marked as containing such information and 
submitted by mail to the individual listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.
    Comments Filed Electronically: You may also submit comments through 
the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. Please be aware that anyone is able 
to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of 
these dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review the applicable Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 
19477) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
    Reviewing Comments In the Docket: All submissions to the public 
docket may be viewed in person in the Dockets Office between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Dockets 
Office is on the plaza level of the NASSIF Building at the Department 
of Transportation at the above address. Also, you may review public 
dockets on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
    See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for format and other information 
about comment submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randall Fiertz, Office of Revenue, 
Transportation Security Administration Headquarters, West Building, 
Floor 5, TSA-14, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202; e-mail: 
[email protected], telephone: 571-227-2323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The TSA invites interested persons to submit written comments, 
data, or views on the issues described in this notice, including 
comments relating to the economic, environmental, energy, or federalism 
impacts. See ADDRESSES above for information on where to submit 
comments.
    Do not submit to the public regulatory docket any comments that you 
believe include trade secrets, confidential commercial or financial 
information, or sensitive security information (SSI) governed by 49 CFR 
part 1520. Such comments should be appropriately marked as containing 
such information and submitted by mail to the individual listed in FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. When a commenter properly designates and 
submits confidential commercial or financial information or information 
the submitter considers to be a trade secret, TSA does not place it in 
the public docket and TSA will handle it in accordance with applicable 
safeguards and restrictions on access. TSA will hold it in a separate 
file to which the public does not have access, and place a note in the 
public docket that TSA has received such materials from the commenter. 
If TSA receives a request to examine or copy this

[[Page 75612]]

information, TSA would treat the request as any other request under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552) and the Department of 
Homeland Security's FOIA regulation found in 6 CFR part 5.
    With each comment, please include your name and address, identify 
the docket number at the beginning, and give the reason for each 
comment, including any supporting data. You may submit comments and 
material electronically, in person, or by mail as provided under 
ADDRESSES, but please submit your comments and material by only one 
means. If you submit comments by mail or delivery, submit them in two 
copies, in an unbound format, no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, suitable 
for copying and electronic filing.
    If you want the TSA to acknowledge receipt of your comments, 
include with your comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which 
the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the postcard and 
mail it to you.
    Except for comments properly submitted as containing confidential 
information or SSI, we will file in the public docket all comments we 
receive. The docket is available for public inspection before and after 
the comment closing date.
    We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late to the extent 
practicable.

Document Availability

    You can get an electronic copy using the Internet by--
    (1) Searching the Department of Transportation's electronic Docket 
Management System (DMS) web page (http://dms.dot.gov/search);
    (2) Accessing the Government Printing Office's web page at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html; or
    (3) Visiting the TSA's Law and Policy web page at http://www.tsa.dot.gov/public/index.jsp.
    In addition, copies are available by writing or calling the 
individual in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. Make sure to 
identify the docket number.

Background

    On November 5, 2003, TSA published a ``Notice Requesting Comment on 
the Imposition of the Aviation Security Infrastructure Fee'' (68 FR 
62613). Comments to that document were to be received on or before 
January 5, 2004. By a letter dated December 17, 2003, the Air Transport 
Association (ATA) requested that TSA extend the comment period on the 
notice for 30 days. ATA stated that, considering the potential 
substantive impact of changing the current fee methodology on their 
membership, it requested more time to adequately develop its comments 
by conducting a survey of its members so that it can provide TSA with a 
consensus proposal.

Extension of Comment Period

    TSA has considered ATA's request and has determined that ATA has 
shown a substantive interest in the notice and good cause for the 
extension. TSA has determined that an extension of the comment period 
is consistent with the public interest, and that good cause exists for 
taking this action. Accordingly, TSA has decided to extend the public 
comment period on the notice for an additional 30 days. The deadline 
for the public to submit comments on the notice now is February 5, 
2004. TSA does not anticipate any additional extensions of the public 
comment period for this notice.

    Issued in Arlington, VA, on December 19, 2003.
Robert Gardner,
Assistant Administrator for Finance and Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-32196 Filed 12-30-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P