[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 115 (Friday, June 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33833-33834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13295]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary


Notice Designating the University of Hawaii as a DHS Center of 
Excellence for the Study of Maritime, Island and Extreme/Remote 
Environment Security as Research Co-Lead Institution

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security has designated the 
University of Hawaii as a DHS Center of Excellence for the Study of 
Maritime, Island and Extreme/Remote Environment Security, Research Co-
Lead Institution.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiffany Lightbourn, Program Manager, 
University Programs, Science and Technology Directorate, Department of 
Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528; telephone 202-254-5843, 
facsimile 202-254-6179; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 308 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-
296, (the ``Homeland Security Act''), as amended by the Consolidated 
Appropriations Resolution 2003, Public Law 108-7, and as codified in 
Title 6 of the United States Code Chapter I Subchapter III section 
188(b)(2) [6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)], directs the Department of Homeland 
Security (``Department'') to sponsor extramural research, development, 
demonstration, testing and evaluation programs relating to homeland 
security. As part of this program, the Department has established a 
coordinated system of university-based centers for homeland security 
(the ``Centers'').
    The Centers are envisioned to be an integral component of the 
Department's capability to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover 
from terrorist attacks. The Centers will leverage multidisciplinary 
capabilities and fill gaps in current knowledge.
    Title 6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(B) lists fourteen areas of substantive 
expertise that, if demonstrated, might qualify universities for 
designation as university-based centers. The listed areas of expertise 
include: (1) The training of first responders; (2) responding to 
incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and biological warfare; 
(3) emergency and diagnostic medical services; (4) chemical, 
biological, radiological and nuclear countermeasures or detection; (5) 
animal and plant health and diagnostics; (6) food safety; (7) water and 
wastewater operations; (8) port and waterway security; (9) multi-modal 
transportation; (10) information security and information engineering; 
(11) engineering; (12) educational outreach and technical assistance; 
(13) border and transportation security; and (14) the public policy 
implications and public dissemination of homeland security relevant 
research and development. However, the list is not exclusive. 6 U.S.C. 
188(b)(2)(C) gives the Secretary discretion to except certain criteria 
specified in 6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(B) and consider additional criteria 
beyond those specified in 6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)(B) in selecting 
universities for this program, as long as the Department issues a 
Federal Register notice explaining the criteria used for the 
designation.

Criteria

    In response to Congressional direction contained in the Conference 
Report for the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Homeland Security 
Appropriations Act, the DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology 
developed a plan in November 2006 to establish new DHS Centers of 
Excellence in high priority science and technology areas which aligned 
to the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's research portfolios and 
for which DHS determined there were significant gaps in scientific 
understanding and technological development. These areas included: 1. 
Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure and Emergency Management, 2. 
Explosives Detection, Mitigation and Response, 3. Border Security and 
Immigration, and 4. Maritime, Island and Extreme/Remote Environment 
Security. Research in these areas will contribute significantly to the 
Department's ability to enhance homeland security and the safety of our 
citizens from both natural and man-made threats.
    The criteria for designation for this new Center of Excellence 
(COE) for the Study of Maritime Island and Extreme/Remote Environment 
Security is demonstrated expertise in conducting fundamental research 
into the issues and challenges of global maritime domain security 
technology and policy. In addition this COE will conduct research on 
maritime and security interests in U.S. islands, territories, and 
extreme environments (e.g. Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Alaska). Research 
results will support DHS, other Federal, and state and local agencies' 
missions to secure national maritime borders and the U.S. maritime 
interests. This COE

[[Page 33834]]

will collaborate closely with the S&T Directorate's Borders & Maritime 
Division which manages a full-spectrum research and development (R&D) 
program from fundamental research to advanced technologies. The COE for 
the Study of Maritime, Island and Extreme/Remote Environment Security 
will provide enabling basic research that will advance the technical 
tools and information that S&T's customers will need in the future to 
defend maritime commerce and the global supply chain, minimize damage 
and expedite recovery from attacks or catastrophic events impacting the 
maritime domain, and protect maritime-related population centers, 
critical infrastructure and other national maritime interests. This COE 
will develop relevant educational curricula for both matriculated 
students and career professionals.
    The Center of Excellence for the Study of Maritime, Island and 
Extreme/Remote Environment Security will conduct basic and 
transformational research on maritime security issues in the following 
areas:
    1. Maritime Domain Awareness. Specifically the COE will research 
the best ways--with full regard to legal and international frameworks, 
sensitivity to privacy, effectiveness, and affordability--of 
maintaining necessary and appropriate surveillance over the U.S. and 
global maritime domain and its users, ports of entry and maritime 
infrastructure. In addition, the COE will develop improvements in our 
ability to screen and scan cargo, vessels, passengers, the maritime 
workforce and the boating public, so that contraband does not enter the 
U.S.
    2. Marine Transportation System Security, Critical Infrastructure 
Protection, Resiliency and Recovery. Research will develop effective 
and feasible ways to imbed security practices that will enhance supply 
chain transparency and protect against intentional acts of terrorism. 
Research will assess the risk and vulnerability of extreme environments 
for terrorist attacks and catastrophic events and methods to mitigate 
the consequences of these events on people, commerce, and critical 
infrastructure should they occur. Research will evaluate the resiliency 
of the maritime transportation system to aid in maritime system 
recovery planning.
    3. Maritime Risk Management, Policy Analysis, & International 
Governance. Research will develop new technologies and improved risk 
assessment methodologies to prioritize protection efforts, and best 
leverage public and private layered security efforts to protect 
critical maritime infrastructure. Policy and legal analysis will be 
conducted to enhance cooperation among nations and international 
organizations that share common interests regarding the security of the 
maritime domain.
    4. Maritime Enforcement, Operational Analyses, & Command, Control, 
and Communications. In particular the COE will develop approaches that 
allow for multiple layers of security and diverse forms of 
surveillance, interdiction, and enforcement to be effectively 
integrated. Research will also facilitate the timely communication of 
information and analysis generated by surveillance and screening 
systems.

Announcement of Funding Opportunities and Competition

    In February 2007, the Department established a competitive process 
and requested white papers and proposals from universities that wished 
to be designated as DHS Centers of Excellence in: 1. Explosives 
Detection Mitigation and Response, 2. Explosives Detection, Mitigation 
and Response, 3. Border Security Immigration, or 4. Maritime, Island 
and Extreme/Remote Environment Security. The funding opportunity 
announcements for these four Centers of Excellence were published at 
http://www.grants.gov on February 4, 2007, as required by the Office of 
Management and Budget. In the area of Maritime, Island and Extreme/
Remote Environment Security DHS received 8 white papers and evaluated 
them through a peer-review panel process that included scientific 
expertise from the federal government, peer-institutional faculty, and 
the private sector. Following the white paper review, DHS received 4 
full proposals by the closing date of July 30, 2007. The 4 full 
proposals were reviewed by subject matter experts external to DHS S&T. 
Two full proposals were referred to an internal review panel of S&T 
subject matter experts for evaluation, who recommended site visits at 
both sites. Based on information collected on these site visits, DHS 
selected the University of Hawaii and Stevens Institute of Technology 
to be Research Co-Lead Institutions for the Maritime, Island and 
Extreme/Remote Environment Security Center of Excellence.
    The University of Hawaii and its partners will conduct basic and 
transformational research on maritime related issues including Maritime 
Domain Awareness; Marine Transportation System Security, Critical 
Infrastructure Protection, Resiliency and Recovery; Maritime Risk 
Management, Policy Analysis, & International Governance; and Maritime 
Enforcement, Operational Analyses, & Command, Control, and 
Communications.

Jay M. Cohen,
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of Homeland 
Security.
[FR Doc. E8-13295 Filed 6-12-08; 8:45 am]
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