[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 204 (Monday, October 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 64533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25936]



[[Page 64533]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

[Docket No. TSA-2003-14610]


Intent To Request Renewal From OMB of One Current Public 
Collection of Information: Security Threat Assessment for Individuals 
Applying for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement for a Commercial Drivers 
License

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), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0027, 
abstracted below that we will submit to OMB for renewal in compliance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR describes the nature of 
the information collection and its expected burden. The collection 
involves applicant submission of biometric and biographic information 
for TSA's security threat assessment in order to obtain the hazardous 
materials endorsement (HME) on a commercial drivers license (CDL) 
issued by the U.S. States and the District of Columbia.

DATES: Send your comments by December 21, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be emailed to [email protected] or delivered to 
the TSA PRA Officer, Office of Information Technology (OIT), TSA-11, 
Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, 
Arlington, VA 20598-6011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Perkins at the above address, or 
by telephone (571) 227-3398.

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 www.reginfo.gov. Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and 
approval of the following information collection, TSA is inviting 
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 1652-0027; Security Threat Assessment for 
Individuals Applying for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement for a 
Commercial Drivers License, 49 CFR part 1572. TSA is requesting renewal 
of the currently approved ICR with minor changes. This collection 
supports the implementation of section 1012 of the USA PATRIOT Act 
(Pub. L. 107-56, 115 Stat. 272, 396, Oct. 26, 2001), which mandates 
that no State or the District of Columbia may issue a HME on a CDL 
unless TSA has first determined the driver is not a threat to 
transportation security. On November 24, 2004, TSA published the final 
rule in the Federal Register (69 FR 68720), codified at 49 CFR part 
1572, that describes the procedures, standards, and eligibility 
criteria for security threat assessments on individuals seeking to 
obtain, renew, or transfer a HME on a CDL. TSA subsequently amended the 
rule on January 25, 2007 (72 FR 3492). In order to conduct the security 
threat assessment, States (or TSA's agent in States that elect to have 
TSA perform the collection of information) must collect information in 
addition to that already collected for the purpose of HME applications, 
which will occur once approximately every five years. The driver is 
required to submit an application that includes personal biographic 
information (for instance, height, weight, eye and hair color, date of 
birth); information concerning legal status, mental health defects 
history, and criminal history; as well as fingerprints. TSA is amending 
the application to collect optional minor additional information, such 
as U.S. Department of State forms showing birth abroad to U.S. citizens 
and U.S. passport number. This information helps the applicant prove 
U.S. citizenship even though the applicant was born abroad. Also, the 
application will ask the applicant to state whether he is a new 
applicant, or is applying to renew or transfer the HME. This will 
enable the program to better understand and forecast driver retention, 
transfer rate, and drop-rate to help improve customer service, reduce 
program costs, and provide comparability with other Federal background 
checks, including the Transportation Workers Identification Credential 
(TWIC). TSA is removing items concerning military service. In addition, 
the rule (49 CFR part 1572) requires States to maintain a copy of the 
driver application for a period of one year.
    These changes should reduce the burden on applicants, States, and 
TSA. By receiving this information during the application process, 
requests for additional information or documentation will be reduced 
during the post-adjudication process.
    From 2012 through 2014, TSA estimates respondent drivers will spend 
approximately 2.9 million hours on the application and background check 
process. TSA estimates an annualized 295,000 respondents will apply for 
an HME, and that the application and background check process will 
involve 960,000 annualized hours. TSA estimates the total costs to 
respondent drivers will be $77.9 million over the three-year period 
($25 million annualized).

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on October 12, 2012.
Susan Perkins,
Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2012-25936 Filed 10-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P