[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 106 (Friday, June 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30065-30066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11751]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Intent To Request Revision of Agency Information Collection 
Activity Under OMB Review: Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement 
(BASE) 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), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0062 
abstracted below that we will submit to OMB for a revision in 
compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR assesses the 
current security practices in the mass transit/passenger rail and 
highway and motor carrier industries by way of the Baseline Assessment 
for Security Enhancement (BASE) program, which encompasses site visits 
and interviews, and is part of the larger domain awareness, prevention, 
and protection program that supports the mission of TSA and the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This voluntary collection allows 
TSA to conduct transportation security-related assessments during site 
visits with security and operating officials of certain surface 
transportation entities.

DATES: Send your comments by August 3, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be emailed to [email protected] or delivered 
to the TSA PRA Officer, Information Technology, TSA 11, Transportation 
Security Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 
20598-6011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina A. Walsh at the above 
address, or by telephone (571) 227-2062.

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 will be 
available at http://www.reginfo.gov upon its submission to OMB. 
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 1652-0062; Baseline Assessment for Security 
Enhancement (BASE) Program. Under the Aviation and Transportation 
Security Act 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.'' \1\ TSA is

[[Page 30066]]

required to ``assess the security of each surface transportation mode 
and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of current Federal 
Government surface transportation security initiatives.'' E.O. 13416, 
sec. 3(a) (Dec. 5, 2006).
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    \1\ See Public Law 107-71, 115 Stat. 597 (Nov. 19, 2001), 
codified at 49 U.S.C. 114(d). The TSA Administrator's current 
authorities under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act 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 (Nov. 25, 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 (now 
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.
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    TSA developed the BASE program in 2007, in an effort to engage with 
surface transportation entities to establish a ``baseline'' of security 
and emergency response operations. This program was initially created 
for Mass Transit/Passenger Rail (MT/PR) (including rail and bus 
operations) and passenger rail. Based on the success of the program, 
TSA developed the Highway (HWY) BASE program in 2012, which achieved 
full implementation in 2013. The HWY BASE applies to trucking, school 
bus contractors, school districts, and over-the-road motor coach. This 
voluntary program enables TSA to collect and evaluate physical and 
operational preparedness information and critical assets and key point-
of-contact lists. TSA also reviews emergency procedures and domain 
awareness training and provides an opportunity to share industry best 
practices. The program provides TSA with current information on adopted 
security-practices within the MT/PR and HWY modes of the surface 
transportation sector. The information collected also allows TSA to 
dynamically adapt programs to the changing threat with an understanding 
of the improvements surface transportation entities make in their 
security posture. Without this information, the ability for TSA to 
perform its security mission would be severely hindered. Additionally, 
the relationships these face-to-face contacts foster are critical to 
TSA's ability to reach out to the surface transportation entities 
participating in the BASE program.
    Absent this program, there would be no consistent data about these 
transportation security programs, nor a database that could be used to 
benchmark the programs. While many MT/PR and HWY entities have security 
and emergency response plans or protocols in place, the BASE provides a 
consistent approach to evaluate the extent to which security programs 
exists and the content of those programs.
    The Government Accountability Office, audit GA-20-404, recommended 
TSA update the BASE cybersecurity questions to ensure they reflect key 
practices. As a result, TSA is revising the collection to include all 
five core functions of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology cybersecurity framework. All core functions and a majority 
of the subcategories are amalgamated with industry best practices in 
the newly developed cybersecurity questions and cyber annex, 
strengthening the cybersecurity health for the transportation sector.
    In carrying out the voluntary BASE program, TSA's Transportation 
Security Inspectors-Surface (TSIs-S) conduct BASE reviews during site 
visits with security and operating officials of MT/PR and HWY systems, 
throughout the Nation. The TSIs-S receive and document relevant 
information using a standardized electronic checklist. Advance 
coordination and planning ensures the efficiency of the assessment 
process. The TSIs-S review and analyze the stakeholders' security plan, 
if adopted, and determine if the mitigation measures included in the 
plan are being effectively implemented, while providing additional 
resources for further security enhancement. In addition to examining 
the security plan document, TSIs-S reviews one or more assets of the 
private and/or public owner/operator.
    During BASE site visits of MT/PR and HWY entities, TSIs-S collect 
information and complete a BASE checklist from the review of each 
entity's documents, plans, and procedures. They also interview 
appropriate entity personnel and conduct system observations prompted 
by questions raised during the document review and interview stages. 
TSA conducts the interviews to ascertain and clarify information on 
security measures and to identify security gaps. The interviews also 
provide TSA with a method to encourage the surface transportation 
entities participating in the BASE reviews to be diligent in effecting 
and maintaining security-related improvements.
    While TSA has not set a limit on the number of BASE program reviews 
to conduct, TSA estimates it will conduct approximately 75 MT/PR BASE 
reviews and approximately 107 HWY BASE reviews on an annual basis. TSA 
does not intend to conduct more than one BASE review per mass transit 
or passenger rail system in a single year. TSA estimates that the hour 
burden per MT/PR entity to engage its security and/or operating 
officials with inspectors in the interactive BASE program review 
process is approximately 11.7 hours, while those who choose to also 
take the new cyber annex assessment will spend 17.7 hours. Also, TSA 
estimates that the hour burden per HWY entity to engage its security 
and/or operating officials with inspectors in the interactive BASE 
program review process is approximately 1.8 hours, while those who 
choose to also take the new cyber annex assessment will spend 7.8 
hours. Thus, the total annual hour burden for the MT/PR BASE program 
review is 1,196 hours annually and for HWY BASE 512 hours annually.

Christina A. Walsh,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2021-11751 Filed 6-3-21; 8:45 am]
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