[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50487-50488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20738]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2011-0018]


Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII) Stakeholder 
Survey

AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS.

ACTION: 30-day notice and request for comments; New Information 
Collection Request: 1670-NEW

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection 
and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Office of Infrastructure Protection 
(IP), will submit the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35). NPPD is soliciting comments concerning New 
Information Collection Request, Protected Critical Infrastructure 
Information (PCII) Stakeholder Survey. DHS previously published this 
ICR in the Federal Register on March 31, 2011, for a 60-day public 
comment period. DHS received no comments. The purpose of this notice is 
to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until September 14, 
2011. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB. Comments should be addressed to OMB Desk 
Officer, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Civil Rights and 
Civil Liberties. Comments must be identified by DHS-2011-0018 and may 
be submitted by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include the docket 
number in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 395-5806
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words 
``Department of Homeland Security'' and the docket number for this 
action. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
    OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary

[[Page 50488]]

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 of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    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 through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Hickey, DHS/NPPD/IP, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PCII Program was created by Congress 
under the Critical Infrastructure Information Act of 2002 (CII Act), 
Sections 211-215, Title II, Subtitle B of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002, Public Law 107-296, to encourage voluntary information sharing by 
owners and operators of critical infrastructure and protected systems. 
The PCII Program is implemented by 6 CFR Part 29, Procedures for 
Handling Critical Infrastructure Information; Final Rule (the 
Regulation), which was issued in 2006. PCII refers to validated and 
marked critical infrastructure information not customarily in the 
public domain and related to the security of critical infrastructure or 
protected systems, which is voluntarily submitted to DHS for homeland 
security purposes. The PCII Program offers protection from public 
disclosure through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), state and 
local sunshine laws, and civil litigation. The PCII Program is 
administered by DHS/NPPD/IP's Infrastructure Information Collection 
Division.
    The PCII Program helps government analysts, emergency responders, 
and other homeland security professionals access data about facilities 
and systems on which the country depends. The PCII Program is 
responsible for ensuring compliance with the Regulation's uniform 
procedures for the handling, use, dissemination, and safeguarding of 
PCII. In this capacity, the PCII Program oversees a community of 
stakeholders, including submitters of CII, authorized users of PCII and 
accredited Federal, state, and local entities with homeland security 
duties. This survey is designed to gather information from PCII 
Officers that can be used to improve these relationships and to 
maximize the value that the PCII Program is offering to its Federal, 
state, and local government users. Both the CII Act and its 
implementing regulations stress the voluntary nature of the PCII 
Program, so collecting information that will assist in making the PCII 
Program attractive to its stakeholders will allow the PCII Program to 
better accomplish the statute's goals.
    The data collected in this survey will be used by the PCII Program 
to improve relationships with stakeholders and maximize the value of 
the program. The survey data collected is for internal PCII Program and 
DHS/NPPD/IP use only. The PCII Program will use the results from the 
stakeholder to determine levels of satisfaction with the PCII Program 
and identify areas that require additional communication, identify 
areas for improvement with the PCII Management System (PCIIMS), and 
help determine the future direction of the Program.
    The survey is administered using a web-based survey tool, Vovici 
Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM). Automating the PCII Stakeholder 
Survey reduces the respondent burden of responding to a paper survey or 
a telephone interview. The staff burden of manually administering a 
survey and accurately collecting data is also reduced. Automation also 
captures participants' typed comments, eliminating time-consuming 
transcription and manual inaccuracies.
    The PCII Stakeholder Survey does not collect personally 
identifiable information. The survey instrument states that the survey 
is voluntary and the information will be kept private or anonymous to 
the extent allowable by law.

Analysis

    Agency: Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and 
Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection.
    Title: Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII) 
Stakeholder Survey.
    OMB Number: 1670-NEW.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 100 respondents.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: .1333 hours.
    Total Burden Hours: 13.5 annual burden hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $10,566.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $4,158.

    Dated: August 3, 2011.
David Epperson,
Chief Information Officer, National Protection and Programs 
Directorate, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2011-20738 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-9P-P