[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20700-20701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8096]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Intent To Request Approval From OMB of One New Public Collection 
of Information: Critical Facility Information of the Top 100 Most 
Critical Pipelines

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites 
public comment on a new Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted 
below that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden. This collection provides TSA critical facility and annual 
product through-put information from owners or operators of the 
nation's largest pipelines, and is necessitated by the requirements set 
forth in the Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission 
Act of 2007.

DATES: Send your comments by June 16, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed or delivered to Joanna Johnson, 
Communications Branch, Business Management Office, Operational Process 
and Technology, TSA-32, Transportation Security Administration, 601 
South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanna Johnson at the above address, 
or by telephone (571) 227-3651 or 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

Purpose of Data Collection

    Section 1557(b) of the Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 
Commission Act of 2007, specifically tasks TSA to develop and implement 
a plan for inspecting certain critical facilities of the 100 most 
critical pipeline systems. See Pub. L. 110-53, 121 Stat. 266 at 475 
(Aug. 3, 2007). The predominant criterion used to determine the nations 
top 100 pipeline systems in terms of criticality is the quantity of 
hazardous liquid or natural gas product that is transported through a 
pipeline in one year (annual through-put). Using annual through-put 
data from Federal and commercially available data as a preliminary 
determinant, TSA has selected the nation's top 125 pipeline systems 
from which annual through-put and critical facility information will be 
requested. TSA is requesting annual product through-put information 
from these top 125 pipeline systems in order to ensure that selection 
of the top 100 pipeline systems for inspection reflects the most recent 
throughput data and is as complete and accurate as possible.

Description of Data Collection

    TSA is requesting information from the owners/operators of 125 
systems. Within each of the system owner/operator companies, both the 
annual through-put and critical facility information has already been 
determined and is readily available to employees within the respective 
companies. System through-put is a figure already determined and 
frequently used by pipeline companies for various business, financial, 
and operations performance purposes. Per guidance set forth in the 
``Pipeline Security Circular September 4, 2002'' (2002 Guidelines) 
issued by the U.S.

[[Page 20701]]

Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety 
Administration (PHMSA), formerly the Office of Pipeline Safety, 
pipeline companies had to determine critical facilities in accordance 
with guidance provided in that circular by December 31, 2003. 
Therefore, very little additional burden will be incurred by the 
pipeline companies in determining or producing this information. 
Consequently, the burden to pipeline owners/operators from to which 
information is requested lies only in compiling, reviewing, and 
transmitting the currently existing information to TSA. The time 
estimate breakdown is as follows: TSA will request the information from 
the nation's top 125 pipeline systems. TSA estimates that system owners 
and operators would spend a maximum of four hours per system to 
collect, review, and submit the information via email to TSA. Thus, TSA 
estimates the total annual burden to the public would be (125 owners or 
operators) x (4 hours per owner or operator) = 500 total hours per 
year.

Use and Handling of Results

    TSA will use annual product through-put values as a significant 
factor in determining the most critical systems. The lists of a 
system's critical facilities and amplifying information are determined 
by the individual pipeline system owners or operators for their 
respective systems through their own site assessment process, and will 
be used by TSA to develop a plan for TSA to inspect the top 100 sites 
as required in section in 1557(b) of the Implementing Recommendation 
for the 911 Commission Act of 2007.
    Both the request for information sent by TSA and the responses from 
subject pipeline system owners or operators will be conducted via 
electronic mail. To the extent that the information provided by owners 
or operators is Sensitive Security Information (SSI), it will be 
protected in accordance with procedures meeting the transmission, 
handling and storage requirements of SSI set forth in 49 CFR parts 15 
and 1520.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on April 9, 2008.
Fran Lozito,
Director, Business Management Office, Operational Process and 
Technology.
 [FR Doc. E8-8096 Filed 4-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P