[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73039-73040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24900]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


New Emergency Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB 
Review: Critical Facility Information of the Top 100 Most Critical 
Pipelines

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of emergency clearance request.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) has forwarded the new Information Collection 
Request (ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for emergency processing and approval under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. The ICR describes the nature of information collection 
and its expected burden. This collection provides TSA critical facility 
and annual product through-put information from owners/operators of the 
nation's largest pipelines, and is necessitated by the requirements set 
forth in the

[[Page 73040]]

Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.

DATES: Send your comments by January 25, 2008. A comment to OMB is most 
effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be 
addressed to Nathan Lesser, Desk Officer, Department of Homeland 
Security/TSA, and sent via electronic mail to [email protected] or faxed to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanna Johnson, Communications Branch, 
Business Management Office, Operational Process and Technology, TSA-32, 
Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, 
Arlington, VA 22202-4220; telephone (571) 227-3651; facsimile (703) 
603-0822.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is 
not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it 
displays a valid OMB control number. The ICR documentation is available 
at http://www.reginfo.gov. Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and 
approval of the following information collection, TSA is soliciting 
comments to--
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

Information Collection Requirement

    Title: Critical Facility Information of the Top 100 Most Critical 
Pipelines.
    Type of Request: Emergency processing request of new collection.
    OMB Control Number: Not yet assigned.
    Forms(s): None.
    Affected Public: Owners and operators of the top 125 pipeline 
systems in terms of reported annual through-put.
    Abstract: Sec. 1557(b) of the Implementing Recommendations of the 
9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-53, 121 Stat. 266, 475, 08/03/
2007) (9/11 Act), specifically tasks TSA to develop and implement a 
plan for inspecting critical facilities at the 100 most critical 
pipeline systems. TSA is requesting emergency processing of this 
request to meet the 9/11 Act established timelines. To meet the 9/11 
Act's requirement, TSA will request a report of annual product through-
put and a listing of critical facilities from the top 125 pipeline 
systems in terms of annual through-put, as reported in pipeline trade 
journals and other sources. System through-put is a figure already 
determined and frequently used by pipeline companies for various 
business financial and operations performance purposes. Further, 
pipeline companies were required to determine critical facilities in 
accordance with guidance set forth in the ``Pipeline Security Circular 
September 4, 2002'' (2002 Guidelines) issued by the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration 
(PHMSA), formerly the Office of Pipeline Safety.
    TSA determines pipeline system criticality based on the amount of 
hazardous liquid or natural gas product transported through a pipeline 
in one year (i.e., annual through-put). TSA will request the 
information from the top 125 pipeline systems in terms of annual 
through-put, and out of these, TSA will make a determination of the top 
100 most critical pipeline systems. The request for information will be 
transmitted by TSA via e-mail to the 125 respondents. TSA will ask the 
respondents to provide the information to TSA via e-mail. To the extent 
the information transmitted is Sensitive Security Information, TSA will 
safeguard the information in accordance with 49 CFR parts 15 and 1520. 
TSA will use the information to develop and implement a plan for 
inspecting critical facilities at the 100 most critical pipeline 
systems.
    The information on both critical facilities and system through-put 
are already produced and in use or retained by pipeline owners/
operators, the burden lies only in compiling, reviewing and 
transmitting the information to TSA. TSA estimates that system owners 
and operators would spend a maximum of four hours per system to 
collect, review and submit the information to TSA. Thus, TSA estimates 
the total annual hour burden to the public would be (125 owner/
operators) x (4 hours per owner/operator) = 500 total hours per year.
    Number of Respondents: 125.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: An estimated 500 hours annually.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on November 18, 2007.
Fran Lozito,
Director, Business Management Office, Operational Process and 
Technology.
 [FR Doc. E7-24900 Filed 12-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P