[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 113 (Monday, June 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28264-28265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13957]



[[Page 28264]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Intent To Request Approval From OMB of One New Public Collection 
of Information: Highway Corporate Security Review

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of reinstatement.

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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites 
public comment on an information collection requirement abstracted 
below that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This 
collection will assess the current security practices in the highway 
and motor carrier industry by way of its Highway Corporate Security 
Program, which encompasses site visits and interviews, and is part of 
the larger domain awareness, prevention, and protection program 
supporting TSA's and the Department of Homeland Security's missions.

DATES: Submit comments by August 14, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed or delivered to Ginger LeMay, PRA 
Officer, Office of Information Technology, Transportation Security 
Administration, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598-6011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ginger LeMay, PRA Officer, Office of 
Information Technology, TSA-11, Transportation Security Administration, 
601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598-6011; telephone (571) 227-
3616; e-mail: [email protected].

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. 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

    Reinstatement of OMB Control Number 1652-0036; Corporate Security 
Review. Under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) \1\ 
and delegated authority from the Secretary of Homeland Security, TSA 
has broad responsibility and authority for ``security in all modes of 
transportation * * * including security responsibilities * * * over 
modes of transportation that are exercised by the Department of 
Transportation,'' \2\ TSA has additional authorities as well. TSA is 
specifically empowered to develop policies, strategies, and plans for 
dealing with threats to transportation,\3\ ensure the adequacy of 
security measures for the transportation of cargo,\4\ oversee the 
implementation and ensure the adequacy of security measures at 
transportation facilities,\5\ and carry out other appropriate duties 
relating to transportation security.\6\
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    \1\ Public Law 107-71, 115 Stat. 597 (November 19, 2001).
    \2\ See 49 U.S.C. 114(d). The TSA Assistant Secretary's current 
authorities under ATSA have been delegated to him by the Secretary 
of Homeland Security. Section 403(2) of the Homeland Security Act 
(HSA) of 2002, Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2315 (2002), 
transferred all functions of TSA, including those of the Secretary 
of Transportation and the Under Secretary of Transportation of 
Security related to TSA, to the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
Pursuant to DHS Delegation Number 7060.2, the Secretary delegated to 
the Assistant Secretary (then referred to as the Administrator of 
TSA), subject to the Secretary's guidance and control, the authority 
vested in the Secretary with respect to TSA, including that in sec. 
403(2) of the HSA.
    \3\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(3).
    \4\ \\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(10).
    \5\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(11).
    \6\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(15).
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    One way TSA carries out its surface transportation responsibilities 
is by assessing the current security practices in the trucking, school 
bus, and motor coach industries as well as at State Departments of 
Transportation (DOTs), by way of its Corporate Security Review (CSR) 
program. The CSR program encompasses site visits and interviews, and is 
one piece of a much larger domain awareness, prevention, and protection 
program in support of TSA's and the Department of Homeland Security's 
missions. TSA is seeking to reinstate its OMB approval for this 
information collection so that TSA can continue to ascertain minimum 
security standards and identify coverage gaps, activities that are 
critical to carrying out its transportation security mission.
    The CSR is an ``instructive'' review that provides TSA with an 
understanding of certain surface transportation owner/operators' 
security programs, if they have adopted such programs. In carrying out 
CSRs, Transportation Security Specialists from TSA's Highway and Motor 
Carrier Division and Transportation Security Inspectors--Surface (TSI-
S) conduct site visits of trucking, school bus, and motor coach 
companies and State DOTs throughout the nation. The TSA representatives 
analyze the owner's/operator's security plan, if the owner/operator has 
adopted one, and determine if the mitigation measures included in the 
plan are being properly implemented. In addition to examining the 
security plan document, TSA reviews one or more assets of the owner/
operator or State DOT.
    During the site visits, TSA completes a CSR form, which asks 
questions concerning eleven topics: Management and oversight of the 
security plan, threat assessment, criticality assessment, vulnerability 
assessment, personnel security, training, physical security 
countermeasures, en route security, information technology security, 
security exercises and drills, and a hazardous materials addendum. TSA 
conducts this collection through voluntary face-to-face visits at the 
headquarters of the subject surface transportation owners/operators. 
Typically, TSA sends one to three employees to conduct a two to three 
hour discussion/interview with representatives from the owner/operator. 
TSA plans to collect information from businesses of all sizes in the 
course of conducting these surface mode CSRs.
    TSA conducts these interviews to ascertain information on security 
measures and to identify security gaps. The interviews also provide the 
TSA with a method to encourage the surface transportation owners/
operators affected by the CSRs to be diligent in effecting and 
maintaining security-related improvements. This program provides TSA 
with real-time information on current security practices within the 
trucking, school bus, and motor coach modes of the surface 
transportation sector. This information allows TSA to adapt programs to 
the changing threat dynamically, while incorporating an understanding 
of the improvements owners/operators make in their security posture. 
Without this information, the ability of the TSA to perform its 
security mission would be severely hindered.

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    Additionally, the relationships these face-to-face contacts foster 
are critical to the Federal Government's ability to reach out to the 
surface transportation stakeholders affected by the CSRs. The 
relationships foster a sense of trust and a willingness to share 
information with the Federal Government. TSA assures respondents that 
the portion of their responses that is deemed Sensitive Security 
Information will be handled as such, as described in 49 CFR parts 15 
and 1520.
    The annual hour burden for this information collection is estimated 
to be 1,200 hours. While TSA estimates a total of 400 potential 
respondents, this estimate is based on TSA conducting 400 visits per 
year, each visit lasting two to three hours. The total annual cost 
burden to respondents is $0.00.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on June 9, 2009.
Ginger LeMay,
Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Business Improvements and 
Communications, Office of Information Technology.
[FR Doc. E9-13957 Filed 6-12-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P