[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57186-57188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26599]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency
[Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017]
Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification
Preparedness Program
AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings; extension of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing
the dates, times, locations, and discussion topics for a series of
public meetings that will be held to discuss the Department of Homeland
Security's (DHS's) Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation
and Certification Program (PS-Prep). The purpose of these meetings is
to provide the public with an opportunity to engage in dialogue with
DHS leadership and program managers regarding PS-Prep. Additionally,
this notice extends the comment period that was originally established
in FEMA's October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice announcing the
intent to select standards for use in PS-Prep. The comment period will
now end on January 15, 2010.
[[Page 57187]]
DATES: See Supplementary Information section for public meeting dates
and times. Comments submitted regarding the October 16, 2009 Federal
Register Notice must be received by January 15, 2010.
ADDRESSES: See Supplementary Information section for public meeting
addresses and for information on submitting meeting presentations.
You may submit comments on the October 16, 2009 Federal Register
Notice, identified by Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017, by one of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017''
in the subject line of the message.
Fax: 703-483-2999.
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Regulation & Policy Team, Office of
Chief Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Room 835, 500 C
St., SW., Washington, DC 20472-3100.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents, the
October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice, or comments received, go to
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and
search for Docket ID ``FEMA-2008-0017.'' Submitted comments also may be
inspected at FEMA, Office of Chief Counsel, Room 835, 500 C St., SW.,
Washington, DC 20472.
Privacy Act: Regardless of the method used for submitting comments
or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will
include any personal information you provide. Therefore, both
statements made at the public meetings as well as written comments
submitted are public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that
is available on the Privacy and Use link on the Administration
Navigation Bar of http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Donald Grant, Incident Management
Systems Integration Division, National Preparedness Directorate,
National Integration Center, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472.
Phone: 202-646-3850. E-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification
Preparedness Program (PS-Prep) is a DHS program, established under the
authority of Title IX of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11
Commission Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-53). FEMA published a Federal
Register Notice on December 24, 2008, at 73 FR 79140, announcing the
creation of the program. As discussed in that notice, the purpose of
PS-Prep is to raise the level of private sector preparedness by
establishing a system in which a private sector entity may voluntarily
obtain a certification of conformity with a particular DHS-adopted
preparedness standard.
FEMA published a second Federal Register Notice on October 16,
2009, at 74 FR 53286, announcing DHS' intent to select three standards
for adoption in the PS-Prep program. The three identified standards
selected for adoption in PS-Prep at this time are:
1. National Fire Protection Association 1600:2007--Standard on
Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs.
2. British Standard 25999-2:2007--Business Continuity Management.
3. ASIS SPC. 1-2009--Organizational Resilience: Security
Preparedness, and Continuity Management Systems--Requirements with
Guidance for Use.
II. Announcement of Public Meetings and Extension of Comment Period
Through this notice, FEMA is announcing the dates, times,
locations, and discussion topics for a series of ten public meetings
that will be held to discuss PS-Prep. The purpose of these meetings is
to provide the public with an open forum to engage in dialogue with PS-
Prep leadership and program managers, in particular regarding the
October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice announcing the intent to
select standards. Additionally, this notice extends the comment period
that was originally established in that October 16 notice. The comment
period will now be extended by an additional 60 days, and will close on
January 15, 2010.
A. Public Meetings
The dates, times, and locations of the public meetings are set out
below. Any stakeholder or member of the public is free to attend the
meetings. Individuals will have the opportunity to make brief, formal
or informal, presentations of not more than 10 minutes, and to engage
in a question-and-answer session with DHS staff responsible for
implementing PS-Prep.
Presentation topics should be related to one of the seven specific
issues to be discussed at this meeting, which are as follows: (1) The
identified standards selected for adoption in PS-Prep; (2) any
supporting guidance materials in addition to the three identified
standards that are needed to help the private sector attain
certification to one of the three standards; (3) factors that a
business would consider in determining which DHS-adopted standard(s) to
pursue for certification under PS-Prep; (4) reasons for businesses to
seek certification under the three identified standards; (5) how an
organization's certification under PS-Prep would affect or otherwise
influence another organization's decision to do business with them; (6)
how a maturity model approach could be applied to certification to any
of these standards; and (7) what the potential impact (e.g., cost,
return on investment, other considerations, etc.) on small businesses
might be when attempting to implement any of the three identified
standards.
Members of the public who wish to make a presentation are requested
to provide their name, presentation description, city in which they
plan to present, and contact details (include e-mail address and
telephone number), no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST),
one week prior to the stakeholder meeting they plan to attend, via e-
mail to the PS-Prep program at [email protected].
Everyone who plans to attend a public meeting is respectfully
requested to be present and seated by 12:50 p.m. local time (for that
meeting). Although every effort will be made to accommodate all members
of the public, seating is limited and will be allocated on a first-
come, first-served basis. Please note that all meetings may close early
if all business is finished.
Public Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations
1. November 17, 2009; Chicago, Illinois, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Central
Standard Time (CST), Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare: 5615 North Cumberland
Avenue, Chicago, IL 60631; 773-693-5800.
2. November 18, 2009; Kansas City, Missouri, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. CST,
Holiday Inn Kansas City Airport: 11728 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas
City, MO 64153; 816-801-8400.
3. November 19, 2009; Dallas, Texas, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. CST, Dallas/
Fort Worth Marriot Hotel & Golf Club at Champions Circle: 3300
Championship Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; 817-961-0800.
4. December 1, 2009; Oakland, California, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific
Standard Time (PST), Oakland Marriot City Center: 1001 Broadway,
Oakland, CA 94607; 510-451-4000.
5. December 2, 2009; Seattle, Washington, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PST,
Holiday Inn SEATAC International
[[Page 57188]]
Airport: 17338 International Boulevard, Seattle, WA 98188; 206-248-
1000.
6. December 3, 2009; Denver, Colorado, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain
Standard Time (MST), Marriott Denver City Center: 1701 California
Street, Denver, CO 80202; 303-297-1300.
7. December 8, 2009; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
EST, Marriott Philadelphia Airport: One Arrivals Road, Philadelphia, PA
19153; 215-492-9000.
8. December 9, 2009; Boston, Massachusetts, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST,
Sheraton Boston Hotel: 39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA 02199; 617-236-
2000.
9. December 10, 2009; New York City, New York, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
EST, New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott: 102-05 Ditmars Boulevard,
East Elmhurst, NY 11369; 718-565-8900.
10. December 14, 2009; Atlanta, Georgia, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST,
Sheraton Gateway Hotel: 1900 Sullivan Road, Atlanta, GA 30337; 770-997-
1100.
Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities
DHS provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with
disabilities where appropriate. Persons with disabilities who require
special assistance should call the contact person listed below in the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section as early as possible. Please
indicate which public meeting you plan to attend, and identify your
anticipated special needs.
B. Extension of Comment Period
DHS is extending the comment period initially established in the
October 16, 2009 Federal Register Notice announcing the intent to
select standards, in order for comments from each public meeting to be
taken into account by DHS prior to any formal adoption of those
standards. The new comment period will provide an additional 60 days,
and will close on January 15, 2010.
DHS requests comments on issues presented in the October 16, 2009
notice, as well as comments on additional standards that satisfy the
Target Criteria presented in the December 24, 2008 notice. DHS will
accept comments on PS-Prep at any time, and comments will be considered
as they are received, but they may not inform DHS' decision on the
formal adoption of standards if they are received after the end of the
comment period.
Dated: October 28, 2009.
W. Craig Fugate,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. E9-26599 Filed 11-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-46-P