Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program, 34148-34150 [2010-14429]
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34148
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 16, 2010 / Notices
DATES: Send your comments by August
16, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed
Outpatient Per Visit Rate (Excluding
or delivered to Joanna Johnson,
Medicare)
Communications Branch, Business
Lower 48 States .......................
$289 Management Office, Office of
Alaska .......................................
448 Information Technology, TSA–11,
Transportation Security Administration,
Outpatient Per Visit Rate (Medicare)
701 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA
20598.
Calendar
Year 2010
Lower 48 States .......................
Alaska .......................................
$246
415
Medicare Part B Inpatient Ancillary Per
Visit Rate
Lower 48 States .......................
Alaska .......................................
$429
689
Outpatient Surgery Rate (Medicare)
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Ambulatory Surgery Centers
Effective Date for Calendar Year 2010
Rates
Consistent with previous annual rate revisions, the Calendar Year 2010 rates will be
effective for services provided on/or after
January 1, 2010 to the extent consistent
with payment authorities including the applicable Medicaid State plan.
Dated: April 8, 2010.
Yvette Roubideaux,
Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–14505 Filed 6–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration
Intent To Request Renewal From OMB
of One Current Public Collection of
Information; Office of Law
Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal
Service Mental Health Certification
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY: Transportation Security
Administration, DHS.
ACTION: 60-day notice.
SUMMARY: The Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) invites public
comment on one currently approved
information collection request (ICR),
OMB control number 1652–0043,
abstracted below, that TSA will submit
to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for renewal in compliance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICR
involves a certification form that
applicants for the Office of Law
Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal are
required to complete regarding their
mental health history.
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Jkt 220001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joanna Johnson at the above address, or
by telephone (571) 227–3651 or
facsimile (571) 227–2907.
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 https://www.reginfo.gov.
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
Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 44917, TSA has
authority to provide for deployment of
Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) on
passenger flights and provide for
appropriate training, supervision, and
equipment of FAMs. In furtherance of
this authority, TSA policy requires that
applicants for the Office of Law
Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal
positions meet certain medical and
mental health standards.
In order to evaluate whether
applicants meet TSA standards,
applicants must undergo a
psychological evaluation determining
that they do not have an established
medical history or clinical diagnosis of
psychosis, neurosis, or any other
personality or mental disorder that
clearly demonstrates a potential hazard
PO 00000
Frm 00056
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
to the performance of FAM duties or the
safety of self or others. As part of the
psychological evaluation, applicants are
required to complete a certification form
regarding their mental health history
and provide an explanation for anything
they cannot certify. Applicants will be
asked whether they can certify various
statements including that they have
never been removed from work for
medical or psychological reasons.
Upon completion, applicants submit
the certification form directly to the
FAMS’ Medical Programs Division
(FAMS MPD) for initial screening via
fax, electronic upload via scanning
document, mail, or in person. The
FAMS MPD screens all certification
forms received. Any explanations for
uncertified items received will generally
require further review and follow-up by
a contract psychologist or psychiatrist.
This certification is carefully geared to
capitalize on other elements of the
assessment process, such as personal
interviews, physical task assessment,
background investigation, as well as the
other components of the medical
examination and assessment. TSA
estimates that there will be 10,000
respondents annually.
It will take each respondent
approximately one hour to complete the
certification form for a total annual hour
burden of 10,000 hours.
Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on June 10,
2010.
Joanna Johnson,
Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of
Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2010–14559 Filed 6–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–05–P
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 availability.
SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) announces its adoption
of three standards for the Voluntary
Private Sector Accreditation and
Certification Preparedness Program
(‘‘PS–Prep’’ Program). This Notice
identifies the three standards and
discusses generally the public
comments which were received in
E:\FR\FM\16JNN1.SGM
16JNN1
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 16, 2010 / Notices
response to the DHS’s proposal to adopt
these standards.
Instructions: DHS will continue to
accept comments on the PS–Prep
Program, the three adopted standards, or
proposals to adopt any other similar
standard that satisfies the Target Criteria
presented in the December 24, 2008
Federal Register Notice in accordance
with the instructions below. DHS will
review any comments received or
proposals for DHS adoption of
additional standards and, when merited,
will publish a Federal Register Notice
providing the results of that review or
notifying the public of an intention to
adopt additional standards. Those
interested may submit comments,
identified by Docket ID FEMA–2008–
0017, by one of the following methods:
• Federal Docket Management
System: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments. (Note: This process applies
to all government requests for
comments—even though as in the case
of PS–Prep, they may not be for
regulatory purposes.)
• E-mail: FEMA–POLICY@dhs.gov.
Include Docket ID FEMA–2008–0017 in
the subject line of the message.
• Fax: 703–483–2999.
• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Office
of Chief Counsel, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW.,
Room 840, Washington, DC 20472–
3100.
All submissions received must refer to
FEMA as the recipient agency and
Docket ID FEMA–2008–0017. All
submissions will be posted, without
change, to the Federal Docket
Management System at https://
www.regulations.gov, and will include
any personal information you provide.
Because comments are made available
to the public, submitters should take
caution not to include any sensitive,
personal information, trade secret, or
any commercial or financial information
which is obtained from any person and
which is deemed privileged or
confidential. Submitters may wish to
read the Privacy Act Notice available on
the Privacy and Use Notice link on the
Administration Navigation Bar of
https://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments received, go to the Federal
Docket Management System at https://
www.regulations.gov. Submitted
comments may also be inspected at
FEMA, Office of Chief Counsel, 500 C
Street, SW., Room 840, Washington, DC
20472.
Availability of the Adopted
Standards: The three adopted standards
are available in two ways: (1) Through
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:19 Jun 15, 2010
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the individual websites of the three
respective standards development
organizations (SDOs) and (2) through
the FEMA public reading room.
FEMA will maintain copies of all DHS
adopted standards and make them
available upon request for viewing in
person at FEMA’s reading room, located
at 500 C Street SW., Room 835,
Washington, DC 20472. Due to licensing
and copyright restrictions, however,
these documents will be available for
review only, not for copying.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Marcus Pollock, National Integration
Center, National Preparedness
Directorate, Protection and National
Preparedness, 500 C Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20472. Phone: 202–
646–2801 or e-mail: FEMA–
NIMS@dhs.gov.
34149
have also been reviewed and, in some
cases, are continuing to be considered.
Those comments will be further
addressed in future communications.
III. DHS Adopts Three Initial Standards
for the PS–Prep Program
A. Adoption of Three PS–Prep
Standards
I. Background
In Title IX of the ‘‘Implementing
Recommendations of the 9/11
Commission Act of 2007’’ (Pub. L. 110–
53) codified at 6 U.S.C. 321m, Congress
mandated DHS to develop and
implement a Voluntary Private Sector
Preparedness Accreditation and
Certification Program. This program,
now known as ‘‘PS–Prep,’’ provides a
mechanism by which a private sector
entity may apply to be certified by an
accredited third-party that the private
sector entity conforms to one or more of
the preparedness standards adopted by
DHS.
DHS published a Notice in the
Federal Register on December 24, 2008,
describing the DHS implementation of
the PS–Prep Program, requesting
comment on the Program and the target
criteria for voluntary preparedness
standards, and requesting
recommendations for standards that
DHS should consider. See 73 FR 79140.
After reviewing the responses to the
December 2008 Notice, DHS published
another Notice in the Federal Register
which proposed the adoption of three
standards for use in the PS–Prep
Program and sought public comment.
See 74 FR 53286 (October 16, 2009).
Based on public comments, the
compliance of the proposed standards to
the PS–Prep target criteria, and the
design of those standards to accomplish
the purposes of the PS–Prep Program,
DHS has determined to move forward
with the standards proposed in the
October 2009 Federal Register Notice.
The FEMA Administrator, as the
Designated Officer for PS–Prep, hereby
formally adopts the following three
standards:
1. National Fire Protection
Association 1600—Standard on
Disaster/Emergency Management and
Business Continuity Programs, 2007 and
2010 Editions
2. British Standards Institution 25999
(2007 Edition)—Business Continuity
Management (BS 25999:2006–1 Code of
practice for business continuity
management and BS 25999:2007–2
Specification for business continuity
management).
3. ASIS International SPC. 1–2009—
Organizational Resilience: Security
Preparedness, and Continuity
Management Systems—Requirements
with Guidance for Use (2009 Edition).
B. Adoption of Both the 2007 and 2010
Editions of NFPA 1600 Standard
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
II. Review of Public Comments on
Standards Adoption
DHS has considered the comments
gathered in response to the October
2009 Federal Register Notice, and found
that there were no significant concerns
expressed about the adoption of any of
the proposed standards. See Section
III.C of this Notice. Stakeholder
comments regarding the development of
the PS–Prep Program and answers to the
seven questions posed in the Notice
PO 00000
Frm 00057
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Standards developing organizations
routinely review their standards on an
established schedule and provide
updates as needed. Since publication of
the October 2009 Notice proposing to
adopt the 2007 edition of NFPA 1600
standard, the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) has published a
2010 edition, superseding the 2007
edition. DHS reviewed the 2010 edition
of NFPA 1600 and has found that it
meets the PS–Prep Target Criteria.
Given that entities may be in the process
of implementing the 2007 edition, DHS
has chosen to follow the standard
industry conformity assessment practice
of allowing a transition period from
implementation of a previous edition of
a standard to a subsequent edition.
For this reason, DHS is adopting both
the 2007 and 2010 editions of NFPA
1600. DHS intends that the transition
period will allow businesses that may
have already implemented the 2007
edition of NFPA 1600 to be certified to
that standard. Certifications based upon
the 2007 edition will remain valid
E:\FR\FM\16JNN1.SGM
16JNN1
34150
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 16, 2010 / Notices
through the end of the period prescribed
in individual certifications. After the
end of that transition period, entities
seeking certification to NFPA 1600 must
use the 2010 version.
Subsequent versions of the two
remaining standards and other
standards DHS may adopt will operate
on cycles that may not be uniform. DHS
will review subsequent versions of
already adopted standards for
conformity to the target criteria and
suitability for the program.
C. Discussion of Comments Received in
Response to the Oct. 2009 Notice of
Intent
DHS received a total of 122 comments
in response to the October 2009 Federal
Register Notice. Of that number, 100
comments were made in regard to the
intention of DHS to adopt the three
identified standards. The remaining
comments concerned some other aspect
of the PS–Prep Program and will be
dealt with in future communications on
relevant aspects of the PS–Prep
Program.
The vast majority of comments related
to three the standards supported DHS
adoption of one or more of the
standards. The largest number of
comments stating any opposition to the
adoption of any of the three identified
standards related to BS 25999. Those
comments were based on the fact that
the British Standards Institution, under
the auspices of which the standard was
developed, was not a United States
entity. That is a fact; however, DHS
believes that the standard is
comprehensive, meets the PS–Prep
Target criteria, and satisfies the needs of
the PS–Prep Program. Research by DHS
indicates that several United States
corporations have implemented or are
implementing BS 25999. DHS further
believes that the national identity of the
standard setting organization is not
inherently relevant to the viability of
any candidate PS–Prep standard and, as
indicated, has adopted BS 25999.
IV. Next Steps
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
A. Initiation of the PS–Prep Certification
Process
Once the standards are announced,
the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI)—American Society for
Quality (ASQ) National Accreditation
Board (ANAB), the PS–Prep accrediting
body, will finalize its process for
accrediting third party certifying entities
for the PS–Prep Program. Upon that
finalization, DHS expects that
preparation and accreditation of
certifying entities will take an
additional two to four months. DHS will
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16:19 Jun 15, 2010
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announce the initiation of the
availability of the PS–Prep Program
certification process on the PS–Prep
Program Web site.
B. Critical Infrastructure and Key
Resources (CIKR) Sector-Specific Issues
DHS has made clear that it does not
intend that the PS–Prep Program will
create a need for a duplication of
requirements for entities that wish to
participate. DHS will attempt to identify
regulations, guidelines, or sector codes
of practice that meet portions of adopted
standards and that could form the basis
for compliance with PS–Prep adopted
standards. To this end, the DHS Office
of Infrastructure Protection (IP) will
collaborate with the CIKR sectors and
their respective Sector Coordinating
Councils to identify such existing sector
activities. IP will work with the
individual CIKR sectors to develop a
framework containing the identified
sector-specific considerations and
activities that may be used in the
PS–Prep certification processes.
V. Small Business Consideration
In 6 U.S.C. 321m(b)(2)(D), DHS is
required to ‘‘establish separate
classifications and methods of
certification for small business
concerns.’’ The definition of ‘‘small
business concerns’’ is that of the Small
Business Act at 15 U.S.C. 632. Both
previous PS–Prep Federal Register
Notices have contained extensive
discussions of the DHS approach to best
reflect the interests of small businesses,
minimize any burden associated with
certification for the PS–Prep Program,
and achieve the purposes of the PS–
Prep Program. DHS continues to seek
comments from the public and,
particularly, small businesses on
specific tools and means for certification
of small business under the PS–Prep
Program.
Dated: June 10, 2010.
W. Craig Fugate,
Administrator, Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010–14429 Filed 6–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–46–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[L61400000.ER0000/LLOR936000]
Renewal of Approved Information
Collection, OMB Control Number 1004–
0168
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
PO 00000
Frm 00058
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
ACTION: 60-day notice and request for
comments.
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
announces its intention to request that
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) renew its approval to collect
information from private landowners in
western Oregon who are authorized to
transport timber over BLM-controlled
roads. This information collection
activity was previously approved by the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), and assigned control number
1004–0168.
DATES: Please submit your comments to
the BLM at the address below on or
before August 16, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau
of Land Management, Mail Stop 401–
LS, 1849 C St., NW., Washington, DC
20240, Attention: 1004–0168. You may
also send comments to Jean Sonneman
by fax at 202–912–7102, or by e-mail at:
Jean_Sonneman@blm.gov, Attention:
1004–0168.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You
may contact Sarah Bickford, O&C Road
Rights-of-Way Realty Specialist, at 541–
471–6694. Persons who use a
telecommunication device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–
8339, to contact Ms. Bickford. You may
also contact Ms. Bickford to obtain a
copy, at no cost, of the regulations and
the form pertaining to this collection of
information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB
regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which
implement provisions of the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501–3521),
require that interested members of the
public and affected agencies be
provided an opportunity to comment on
information collection and
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR
1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)). This notice
identifies information collections that
are contained in 43 CFR subpart 2812.
The BLM will request that the OMB
approve this information collection
activity for a 3-year term.
Comments are invited on: (1) The
need for the collection of information
for the performance of the functions of
the agency; (2) the accuracy of the
agency’s burden estimates; (3) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information collection; and (4)
ways to minimize the information
collection burden on respondents, such
as use of automated means of collection
of the information. A summary of the
public comments will accompany the
E:\FR\FM\16JNN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34148-34150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-14429]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces its
adoption of three standards for the Voluntary Private Sector
Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program (``PS-Prep''
Program). This Notice identifies the three standards and discusses
generally the public comments which were received in
[[Page 34149]]
response to the DHS's proposal to adopt these standards.
Instructions: DHS will continue to accept comments on the PS-Prep
Program, the three adopted standards, or proposals to adopt any other
similar standard that satisfies the Target Criteria presented in the
December 24, 2008 Federal Register Notice in accordance with the
instructions below. DHS will review any comments received or proposals
for DHS adoption of additional standards and, when merited, will
publish a Federal Register Notice providing the results of that review
or notifying the public of an intention to adopt additional standards.
Those interested may submit comments, identified by Docket ID FEMA-
2008-0017, by one of the following methods:
Federal Docket Management System: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
(Note: This process applies to all government requests for comments--
even though as in the case of PS-Prep, they may not be for regulatory
purposes.)
E-mail: FEMA-POLICY@dhs.gov. Include Docket ID FEMA-2008-
0017 in the subject line of the message.
Fax: 703-483-2999.
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Office of Chief Counsel,
Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Room 840,
Washington, DC 20472-3100.
All submissions received must refer to FEMA as the recipient agency
and Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017. All submissions will be posted, without
change, to the Federal Docket Management System at https://www.regulations.gov, and will include any personal information you
provide. Because comments are made available to the public, submitters
should take caution not to include any sensitive, personal information,
trade secret, or any commercial or financial information which is
obtained from any person and which is deemed privileged or
confidential. Submitters may wish to read the Privacy Act Notice
available on the Privacy and Use Notice link on the Administration
Navigation Bar of https://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to the Federal Docket Management System at https://www.regulations.gov. Submitted comments may also be inspected at FEMA,
Office of Chief Counsel, 500 C Street, SW., Room 840, Washington, DC
20472.
Availability of the Adopted Standards: The three adopted standards
are available in two ways: (1) Through the individual websites of the
three respective standards development organizations (SDOs) and (2)
through the FEMA public reading room.
FEMA will maintain copies of all DHS adopted standards and make
them available upon request for viewing in person at FEMA's reading
room, located at 500 C Street SW., Room 835, Washington, DC 20472. Due
to licensing and copyright restrictions, however, these documents will
be available for review only, not for copying.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Marcus Pollock, National
Integration Center, National Preparedness Directorate, Protection and
National Preparedness, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472. Phone:
202-646-2801 or e-mail: FEMA-NIMS@dhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In Title IX of the ``Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11
Commission Act of 2007'' (Pub. L. 110-53) codified at 6 U.S.C. 321m,
Congress mandated DHS to develop and implement a Voluntary Private
Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program. This
program, now known as ``PS-Prep,'' provides a mechanism by which a
private sector entity may apply to be certified by an accredited third-
party that the private sector entity conforms to one or more of the
preparedness standards adopted by DHS.
DHS published a Notice in the Federal Register on December 24,
2008, describing the DHS implementation of the PS-Prep Program,
requesting comment on the Program and the target criteria for voluntary
preparedness standards, and requesting recommendations for standards
that DHS should consider. See 73 FR 79140. After reviewing the
responses to the December 2008 Notice, DHS published another Notice in
the Federal Register which proposed the adoption of three standards for
use in the PS-Prep Program and sought public comment. See 74 FR 53286
(October 16, 2009).
II. Review of Public Comments on Standards Adoption
DHS has considered the comments gathered in response to the October
2009 Federal Register Notice, and found that there were no significant
concerns expressed about the adoption of any of the proposed standards.
See Section III.C of this Notice. Stakeholder comments regarding the
development of the PS-Prep Program and answers to the seven questions
posed in the Notice have also been reviewed and, in some cases, are
continuing to be considered. Those comments will be further addressed
in future communications.
III. DHS Adopts Three Initial Standards for the PS-Prep Program
A. Adoption of Three PS-Prep Standards
Based on public comments, the compliance of the proposed standards
to the PS-Prep target criteria, and the design of those standards to
accomplish the purposes of the PS-Prep Program, DHS has determined to
move forward with the standards proposed in the October 2009 Federal
Register Notice. The FEMA Administrator, as the Designated Officer for
PS-Prep, hereby formally adopts the following three standards:
1. National Fire Protection Association 1600--Standard on Disaster/
Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs, 2007 and 2010
Editions
2. British Standards Institution 25999 (2007 Edition)--Business
Continuity Management (BS 25999:2006-1 Code of practice for business
continuity management and BS 25999:2007-2 Specification for business
continuity management).
3. ASIS International SPC. 1-2009--Organizational Resilience:
Security Preparedness, and Continuity Management Systems--Requirements
with Guidance for Use (2009 Edition).
B. Adoption of Both the 2007 and 2010 Editions of NFPA 1600 Standard
Standards developing organizations routinely review their standards
on an established schedule and provide updates as needed. Since
publication of the October 2009 Notice proposing to adopt the 2007
edition of NFPA 1600 standard, the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) has published a 2010 edition, superseding the 2007 edition. DHS
reviewed the 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 and has found that it meets the
PS-Prep Target Criteria. Given that entities may be in the process of
implementing the 2007 edition, DHS has chosen to follow the standard
industry conformity assessment practice of allowing a transition period
from implementation of a previous edition of a standard to a subsequent
edition.
For this reason, DHS is adopting both the 2007 and 2010 editions of
NFPA 1600. DHS intends that the transition period will allow businesses
that may have already implemented the 2007 edition of NFPA 1600 to be
certified to that standard. Certifications based upon the 2007 edition
will remain valid
[[Page 34150]]
through the end of the period prescribed in individual certifications.
After the end of that transition period, entities seeking certification
to NFPA 1600 must use the 2010 version.
Subsequent versions of the two remaining standards and other
standards DHS may adopt will operate on cycles that may not be uniform.
DHS will review subsequent versions of already adopted standards for
conformity to the target criteria and suitability for the program.
C. Discussion of Comments Received in Response to the Oct. 2009 Notice
of Intent
DHS received a total of 122 comments in response to the October
2009 Federal Register Notice. Of that number, 100 comments were made in
regard to the intention of DHS to adopt the three identified standards.
The remaining comments concerned some other aspect of the PS-Prep
Program and will be dealt with in future communications on relevant
aspects of the PS-Prep Program.
The vast majority of comments related to three the standards
supported DHS adoption of one or more of the standards. The largest
number of comments stating any opposition to the adoption of any of the
three identified standards related to BS 25999. Those comments were
based on the fact that the British Standards Institution, under the
auspices of which the standard was developed, was not a United States
entity. That is a fact; however, DHS believes that the standard is
comprehensive, meets the PS-Prep Target criteria, and satisfies the
needs of the PS-Prep Program. Research by DHS indicates that several
United States corporations have implemented or are implementing BS
25999. DHS further believes that the national identity of the standard
setting organization is not inherently relevant to the viability of any
candidate PS-Prep standard and, as indicated, has adopted BS 25999.
IV. Next Steps
A. Initiation of the PS-Prep Certification Process
Once the standards are announced, the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI)--American Society for Quality (ASQ) National
Accreditation Board (ANAB), the PS-Prep accrediting body, will finalize
its process for accrediting third party certifying entities for the PS-
Prep Program. Upon that finalization, DHS expects that preparation and
accreditation of certifying entities will take an additional two to
four months. DHS will announce the initiation of the availability of
the PS-Prep Program certification process on the PS-Prep Program Web
site.
B. Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) Sector-Specific
Issues
DHS has made clear that it does not intend that the PS-Prep Program
will create a need for a duplication of requirements for entities that
wish to participate. DHS will attempt to identify regulations,
guidelines, or sector codes of practice that meet portions of adopted
standards and that could form the basis for compliance with PS-Prep
adopted standards. To this end, the DHS Office of Infrastructure
Protection (IP) will collaborate with the CIKR sectors and their
respective Sector Coordinating Councils to identify such existing
sector activities. IP will work with the individual CIKR sectors to
develop a framework containing the identified sector-specific
considerations and activities that may be used in the PS-Prep
certification processes.
V. Small Business Consideration
In 6 U.S.C. 321m(b)(2)(D), DHS is required to ``establish separate
classifications and methods of certification for small business
concerns.'' The definition of ``small business concerns'' is that of
the Small Business Act at 15 U.S.C. 632. Both previous PS-Prep Federal
Register Notices have contained extensive discussions of the DHS
approach to best reflect the interests of small businesses, minimize
any burden associated with certification for the PS-Prep Program, and
achieve the purposes of the PS-Prep Program. DHS continues to seek
comments from the public and, particularly, small businesses on
specific tools and means for certification of small business under the
PS-Prep Program.
Dated: June 10, 2010.
W. Craig Fugate,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010-14429 Filed 6-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-46-P
