[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]
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