Extension of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Imposition and Collection of Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fees (September 11th Security Fee), 43441-43442 [05-14818]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• Transportation Security Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43441-43442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-14818]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

[Docket No. TSA-2001-11120]


Extension of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB 
Review: Imposition and Collection of Passenger Civil Aviation Security 
Service Fees (September 11th Security Fee)

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration (TSA), DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that TSA has forwarded the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval

[[Page 43442]]

of an extension of the currently approved collection under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected burden. TSA published a Federal 
Register notice, with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments, of 
the following collection of information on May 6, 2005, 70 FR 24108.

DATES: Send your comments by August 26, 2005. A comment to OMB is most 
effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be faxed to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: DHS-TSA 
Desk Officer, at (202) 395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katrina Wawer, Information Collection 
Specialist, Office of Transportation Security Policy, TSA-9, 
Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, 
Arlington, VA 22202-4220; telephone (571) 227-1995; facsimile (571) 
227-2594.

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. 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

    Title: Imposition and Collection of Passenger Civil Aviation 
Security Service Fees (September 11th Security Fee).
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1652-0001.
    Forms: September 11th Security Fees Quarterly Report Form.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Abstract: On December 31, 2001, TSA published an interim final rule 
imposing a security service fee (September 11th Security Fee) (see 66 
FR 67698). Imposition of the fee began on February 1, 2002. 
Approximately 196 domestic and foreign air carriers are expected to 
collect and remit the September 11th Security Fee. Each of these 
carriers is then required to: (1) Establish and maintain an accounting 
system to account for the September 11th Security Fees that are 
imposed, collected, refunded, and remitted; (2) report this information 
to TSA on a quarterly basis; and (3) retain the data used for these 
reports for a six-year rolling period (so that information for Fiscal 
Year 2005 must be retained until Fiscal Year 2011 expires, and so on).
    Each air carrier that collects security service fees from more than 
50,000 passengers annually is also required under 49 CFR 1510.15 to 
submit to TSA an annual independent audit, performed by an independent 
certified public accountant, of its security service fee activities and 
accounts. Although, the annual independent audit requirements were 
suspended January 23, 2003 (68 FR 3192), TSA conducts its own audits of 
the air carriers (49 CFR 1510.19).
    TSA is seeking renewal of this collection to require air carriers 
to continue submitting the quarterly reports to TSA, and to retain the 
information for a six-year rolling period. This requirement includes 
retaining the source information for the quarterly reports remitted to 
TSA, and the calculations and allocations performed to remit reports to 
TSA. Should the auditing requirement be reinstated, the requirement 
would include information and documents reviewed and prepared for the 
independent audit. Although TSA suspended the independent audits, TSA 
conducts audits of the air carriers, and therefore, requires air 
carriers to retain and provide the same information as required for the 
quarterly reports and independent audits. TSA estimates 105 carriers of 
the 196 total respondent domestic and foreign air carriers would be 
responsible for this audit should the requirement be reinstated.
    Number of Respondents: 196.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: An estimated 2884 hours annually.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on July 21, 2005.
Lisa S. Dean,
Privacy Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-14818 Filed 7-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P