[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52961-52962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21316]
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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 October 29, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be e-mailed 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: Joanna Johnson at the above address,
or by telephone (571) 227-3651.
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 http://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 hazardous
materials endorsement (HME) on a commercial driver's license (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
[[Page 52962]]
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 2011 through 2013, TSA estimates respondent drivers will spend
approximately 2.9 million hours on the application and background check
process. TSA estimates an annualized 300,000 respondents will apply for
an HME, and that the application and background check process will
involve 975,000 annualized hours. TSA estimates the total costs to
respondent drivers will be $80.3 million over the three-year period
($27 million annualized).
Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on August 19, 2010.
Joanna Johnson,
Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2010-21316 Filed 8-27-10; 8:45 am]
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