[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