[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 219 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58967-58968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27348]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

[Docket No. TSA-2009-0018]


Intent To Request Renewal From OMB of One Current Public 
Collection of Information: Certified Cargo Screening Program

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: 60-day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites 
public comment on one currently approved Information Collection Request 
(ICR), OMB control number 1652-0053, abstracted below that we will 
submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal in 
compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR describes the 
nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The 
collections include: (1) Applications from entities that wish to become 
Certified Cargo Screening Facilities (CCSF) or operate as a TSA-
approved validation firm; (2) personal information to allow TSA to 
conduct security threat assessments on key individuals employed by the 
CCSFs and validation firms; (3) implementation of a standard security 
program or submission of a proposed modified security program; (4) 
information on the amount of cargo screened; (5) recordkeeping 
requirements for CCSFs and validation firms; and (6) submission of 
validation reports to TSA. TSA is seeking the renewal of the ICR for 
the continuation of the program in order to secure passenger aircraft 
carrying cargo by the deadlines set out in the Implementing 
Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.

DATES: Send your comments by January 15, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be e-mailed to [email protected] or delivered to 
the TSA Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Officer, Office of Information 
Technology (OIT), TSA-40, Transportation Security Administration, 601 
South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598-6040.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Please e-mail [email protected] with 
questions or comments.

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

    OMB Control Number 1652-0053, Certified Cargo Screening Program, 49 
CFR parts 1515, 1520, 1522, 1540, 1544, 1546, 1548, and 1549. TSA is 
seeking renewal of an expiring collection of information. Section 1602 
of the

[[Page 58968]]

Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Pub. 
L. 110-53, 121 Stat. 266, 278, August 3, 2007) requires the development 
of a system to screen 50 percent of the cargo transported on a 
passenger aircraft by February 2009, and to screen 100 percent of such 
cargo by August 2010. In September 2009, TSA issued an interim final 
rule (IFR) amending 49 CFR to implement this statutory requirement. See 
74 FR 47672 (September 16, 2009). TSA submitted an ICR to OMB for the 
collections of information contained in the IFR and received six months 
approval from OMB. TSA now seeks to extend this approval from OMB. 
Accordingly, TSA must proceed with this ICR for this program in order 
to meet the Congressional mandate. The ICR will allow TSA to collect 
several categories of information as explained below.

Data Collection

    TSA will certify qualified facilities as CCSFs. Companies seeking 
to become CCSFs are required to submit an application to TSA at least 
90 days before the intended date of operation. All CCSF applicants will 
submit applications and related information either electronically 
through e-mail or through the online Air Cargo Document Management 
System. TSA will also accept applications by postal mail. Once TSA 
approves the application, TSA will allow the regulated entity to 
operate as a CCSF in accordance with a TSA-approved security program. 
Prior to certification, the CCSF must also submit to an assessment by a 
TSA-approved validator.
    TSA will also require CCSFs and validation firms to accept and 
implement a standard security program provided by TSA or to submit a 
proposed modified security program to the designated TSA official for 
approval.
    TSA will require CCSF applicants to ensure that individuals 
performing screening and related functions under the IFR have 
successfully completed a security threat assessment (STA) conducted by 
TSA. In addition, Security Coordinators and their alternates for CCSFs 
must undergo STAs. CCSFs must submit personally identifiable 
information on these individuals to TSA so that TSA can conduct an STA.
    CCSF facilities must provide information on the amount of cargo 
screened and other cargo screening metrics at an approved facility. 
CCSFs must also maintain screening, training, and other security-
related records of compliance with the IFR and make them available for 
TSA inspection.
    A firm interested in operating as a TSA-approved validation firm 
must also apply for TSA approval. Thus, this ICR also covers the 
following additional collections for validation firms: (1) Applications 
from entities seeking to become TSA-approved validation firms; (2) 
personal information so individuals performing, assisting or 
supervising validation assessments, and security coordinators can 
undergo STAs; (3) implementation of a standard security program 
provided by TSA or submission of a proposed modified security program; 
(4) recordkeeping requirements, including that validation firms 
maintain assessment reports; and (5) submission of validation reports 
conducted by validators in TSA-approved validation firms to TSA.
    The forms used for this collection of information include the CCSF 
Facility Profile Application (TSA Form 419B), CCSF Principal 
Attestation (TSA Form 419D), Security Profile (TSA Form 419E), Security 
Threat Assessment Application (TSA Form 419F), TSA Approved Validation 
Firms Application (TSA Form 419G), Aviation Security Known Shipper 
Verification (TSA Form 419H), and the Cargo Reporting Template.

Estimated Burden Hours

    As noted above, TSA has identified several separate information 
collections under this ICR. These collections will affect an estimated 
total of 16,989 unique respondents, including the CCSP pilot 
respondents, over the three years of the PRA analysis. Collectively, 
these information collections represent an estimated average of 723,312 
responses annually, for an average annual hour burden of 718,255 hours.
    1. CCSF Application. TSA estimates that it will receive 22,541 
applications in 3 years, for an average of 7,514 applications annually 
and that these applications will require an average of 2 hours each to 
complete, resulting in an annual burden of 15,028 hours (7,514 x 2).
    2. Validation Firm Applications. TSA estimates that it will receive 
83 applications in 3 years, for an average of 28 applications annually. 
Each application will require an average of 30 minutes to complete, 
resulting in an annual burden of 14 hours (28 x 0.5) on the validation 
firms.
    3. STA Applications. All CCSP participants subject to 49 CFR parts 
1544, 1546, 1548, and 1549, as well as TSA-approved validation firms, 
will be required to have certain employees undergo security threat 
assessments (STAs). TSA estimates it will receive a total of 937,300 
applications in 3 years, for an average of 312,433 applications 
annually. STA application requirements result in an annual burden of 
approximately 78,108 (312,433 x 0.25).
    4. Security Programs. TSA estimates that a total 16,989 CCSFs and 
validation firms will be required to maintain and update their security 
programs. Each firm will devote approximately 4 hours each annually, 
beginning in the second year, updating their security programs. TSA 
estimates 31,589 security program updates in the first three years for 
an average of 10,530 updates per year. The annual hour burden is 42,119 
(10,530 x 4).
    5. Recordkeeping requirements. All CCSFs and validation firms, or 
16,989, will be required to maintain records of compliance with the 
IFR. TSA estimates a time burden of approximately five minutes annually 
per employee who is required to have an STA to file training records 
and other records of compliance. This includes validation firm filings 
of validation assessment reports, resulting in a total of 937,300 
record updates in the first three years for an average of 312,433 
record updates per year. TSA estimates an annual burden of 
approximately 25,932 hours (312,433 x 0.083).
    6. Validation Assessment Reports. TSA estimates it will take 
individual validators four hours to write up a validation report. In 
addition, TSA estimated this will result in 5,635 validations being 
completed annually, resulting in an annual burden of 22,541 hours. 
(5,635 x 4).
    7. Cargo Reporting. TSA estimates that all CCSFs will complete 
monthly cargo volume reports at an estimated time of one hour per week. 
The average annual responses, based on one response per firm per month, 
are 67,624 (5,635 x 12). The estimated annual burden is 293,037 hours 
(5,646 x 52).

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on November 9, 2009.
Joanna Johnson,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of Information Technology.
[FR Doc. E9-27348 Filed 11-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P