[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 25, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71590-71592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28011]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

49 CFR Parts 1515, 1520, 1522, 1540, 1542, 1544, and 1550

[Docket No. TSA-2008-0021]
RIN 1652-AA53


Large Aircraft Security Program, Other Aircraft Operator Security 
Program, and Airport Operator Security Program

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

[[Page 71591]]


ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is extending 
the comment period on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 
regarding the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) published on 
October 30, 2008. TSA has received and decided to grant the request for 
an extension of the comment period for an additional sixty (60) days. 
The comment period will now end on February 27, 2009, instead of 
December 29, 2008.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule at 73 FR 64790, October 
30, 2008, is extended until February 27, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the TSA docket number 
to this rulemaking, to the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS), a 
government-wide, electronic docket management system, using any one of 
the following methods:
    Electronically: You may submit comments through the Federal 
eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail, In Person, or Fax: Address, hand-deliver, or fax your written 
comments to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; Fax 202-493-2251. The 
Department of Transportation (DOT), which maintains and processes TSA's 
official regulatory dockets, will scan the submission and post it to 
FDMS.
    See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for format and other information 
about comment submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program questions: Erik Jensen, 
Assistant General Manager, Policy and Plans, Office of General 
Aviation, TSNM, TSA-28, Transportation Security Administration, 601 
South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220; telephone (571) 227-2401; 
facsimile (571) 227-2918; e-mail [email protected].
    For questions regarding Sensitive Security Information (SSI): 
Andrew Colsky, Director, SSI Office, Office of the Special Counselor 
(OSC), TSA-31, Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th 
Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220; telephone (571) 227-3513; facsimile 
(571) 227-2945; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    TSA invites interested persons to participate in this action by 
submitting written comments, data, or views. We also invite comments 
relating to the economic, environmental, energy, or federalism impacts 
that might result from this action. See ADDRESSES above for information 
on where to submit comments.
    With each comment, please identify the docket number at the 
beginning of your comments. TSA encourages commenters to provide their 
names and addresses. The most helpful comments reference a specific 
portion of the document, explain the reason for any recommended change, 
and include supporting data. You may submit comments and material 
electronically, in person, by mail, or fax 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 an unbound format, 
no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing.
    If you would like TSA to acknowledge receipt of comments submitted 
by mail, 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.
    TSA will file in the public docket all comments received by TSA, 
except for comments containing confidential information and sensitive 
security information (SSI) \1\, TSA will consider all comments received 
on or before the closing date for comments and will consider comments 
filed late to the extent practicable. The docket is available for 
public inspection before and after the comment closing date.
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    \1\ ``Sensitive Security Information'' or ``SSI'' is information 
obtained or developed in the conduct of security activities, the 
disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of 
privacy, reveal trade secrets or privileged or confidential 
information, or be detrimental to the security of transportation. 
The protection of SSI is governed by 49 CFR part 1520.
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Handling of Confidential or Proprietary Information and Sensitive 
Security Information (SSI) Submitted in Public Comments

    Do not submit comments that include trade secrets, confidential 
commercial or financial information, or SSI to the public regulatory 
docket. Please submit such comments separately from other comments on 
the action. Comments containing this type of information should be 
appropriately marked as containing such information and submitted by 
mail to the address listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Upon receipt of such comments, TSA will not place the comments in 
the public docket and will handle them in accordance with applicable 
safeguards and restrictions on access. TSA will hold documents 
containing SSI, confidential business information, or trade secrets 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 determines, however, that portions of these comments 
may be made publicly available, TSA may include a redacted version of 
the comment in the public docket. If TSA receives a request to examine 
or copy information that is not in the public docket, TSA will treat it 
as any other request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 
U.S.C. 552) and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS') FOIA 
regulation found in 6 CFR part 5.

Reviewing Comments in the Docket

    Please be aware that anyone is able to search the electronic form 
of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the 
individual who submitted the comment (or signed the comment, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
You may review the applicable Privacy Act Statement published in the 
Federal Register on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit 
http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.
    You may review TSA's electronic public docket on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov. In addition, DOT's Docket Management 
Facility provides a physical facility, staff, equipment, and assistance 
to the public. To obtain assistance or to review comments in TSA's 
public docket, you may visit this facility between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, or call (202) 366-
9826. This docket operations facility is located in the West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140 at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590.

Availability of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Comments Received

    You can get an electronic copy using the Internet by--
    (1) Searching the electronic Federal Docket Management System 
(FDMS) Web page at http://www.regulations.gov;
    (2) Accessing the Government Printing Office's Web page at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html; or
    (3) Visiting TSA's Security Regulations Web page at http://

[[Page 71592]]

www.tsa.gov and accessing the link for ``Research Center'' at the top 
of the page.
    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 of this rulemaking.

Comment Period Extension

    On October 30, 2008 (73 FR 64790), TSA published an NPRM on the 
Large Aircraft Security Program, Other Aircraft Operator Security 
Program, and Airport Operator Security Program. The NPRM has a 60-day 
comment period that would have ended on December 29, 2008. In a request 
dated October 30, 2008, the National Business Aviation Association 
(NBAA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) requested 
an extension of the deadline for filing comments on the LASP NPRM from 
December 29, 2008 to February 27, 2009. See Docket Item No. TSA-2008-
0021-0018. NBAA and AOPA believe that the original 60-day comment 
period is insufficient time to provide TSA with substantive answers to 
the questions posed in the proposal or for community education and 
feedback.
    TSA has decided to grant NBAA and AOPA's requests for an extension 
and, therefore, is extending the comment period for an additional sixty 
(60) days. The comment period will now be a total of 120 days and will 
end on February 27, 2009. This extension will allow the aviation 
industry and other interested entities and individuals additional time 
to complete their comments on the NPRM.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on November 19, 2008.
Kip Hawley,
Assistant Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-28011 Filed 11-24-08; 8:45 am]
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