Intent To Request Renewal From OMB of One Current Public Collection of Information: Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) Program, 7623-7624 [2015-02829]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• Transportation Security Administration

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7623-7624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02829]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Intent To Request Renewal From OMB of One Current Public 
Collection of Information: Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement 
(BASE) Program

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 1652-0062 
abstracted below that we will submit to OMB for revision in compliance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). TSA has combined two 
previously-approved ICRs (1652-0061 and 1652-0062) into this single 
request to simplify the collection, increase transparency, and reduce 
duplicative efforts. TSA assesses the current security practices in the 
transit and passenger rail and highway and motor carrier industries by 
way of its Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) program, 
which encompasses site visits and interviews, and is part of the larger 
domain awareness, prevention, and protection program supporting TSA's 
and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) missions. This 
voluntary collection allows TSA to conduct transportation security-
related assessments during site visits with surface transportation 
security and operating officials.

DATES: Send your comments by April 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be emailed to TSAPRA@tsa.dhs.gov 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: Christina A. Walsh at the above 
address, or by telephone (571) 227-2062.

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 
re-approval of the following voluntary information collection, TSA is 
soliciting comments to--
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information request 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

Purpose of Data Collection

    Under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) and 
delegated authority from the Secretary of Homeland Security, TSA has 
broad responsibility and authority for ``security in all modes of 
transportation including security responsibilities over modes of 
transportation that are exercised by the Department of 
Transportation.'' \1\ TSA is required to ``assess the security of each 
surface transportation mode and evaluate the effectiveness and 
efficiency of current Federal Government surface transportation 
security initiatives.'' E.O. 13416, sec. 3(a) (Dec. 5, 2006). TSA is 
also specifically empowered to develop policies, strategies, and plans 
for dealing with threats to transportation,\2\ ensure the adequacy of 
security measures for the transportation of cargo,\3\ oversee the 
implementation and ensure the adequacy of security measures at 
transportation facilities,\4\ and carry out other appropriate duties 
relating to transportation security.\5\
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    \1\ See Public Law 107-71, 115 Stat. 597 (Nov. 19, 2001), 
codified at 49 U.S.C. 114(d). The TSA Administrator's current 
authorities under ATSA have been delegated to him by the Secretary 
of Homeland Security. Section 403(2) of the Homeland Security Act 
(HSA) of 2002, Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2315 (2002), 
transferred all functions of TSA, including those of the Secretary 
of Transportation and the Under Secretary of Transportation of 
Security related to TSA, to the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
Pursuant to DHS Delegation Number 7060.2, the Secretary delegated to 
the Assistant Secretary (now referred to as the Administrator of 
TSA), subject to the Secretary's guidance and control, the authority 
vested in the Secretary with respect to TSA, including that in sec. 
403(2) of the HSA.
    \2\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(3).
    \3\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(10).
    \4\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(11).
    \5\ 49 U.S.C. 114(f)(15).
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    TSA developed the Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement 
(BASE) program in 2007, in an effort to engage with surface 
transportation entities to establish a ``baseline'' of security and 
emergency response operations. This program was initially created for 
Public Transportation (PT) BASE systems. However, based on the success 
of the program, TSA developed the Highway (HWY) BASE program in 2012, 
with full implementation in 2013. This voluntary program has served to 
evaluate and collect physical and operational preparedness information 
and critical assets and key point-of-contact lists. The program also 
reviews emergency procedures and domain awareness training, and 
provides an opportunity to share industry best practices.
    While many public transportation systems have security and 
emergency response plans or protocols in place, there is no consistent 
approach to evaluating the extent to which security programs exist, nor 
the content of those programs. As a result, there also are no 
consistent data about these transportation security programs, nor a 
database that can be used to benchmark the programs. The BASE program 
is designed to address these issues.

[[Page 7624]]

Description of Data Collection

    In carrying out the voluntary BASE program, TSA's Transportation 
Security Inspectors--Surface (TSIs-S) conduct BASE reviews during site 
visits with security and operating officials of transit (including 
transit bus) and passenger rail systems, trucking, school bus 
contractors, school districts, and motor coach companies throughout the 
United States, capturing and documenting relevant information on a 
standardized checklist. All BASE reviews are done on a voluntary basis 
and are not regulatory inspections. Advance coordination and planning 
ensures the efficiency of the assessment process. The TSIs-S review and 
analyze the public transportation and highway entities' security plan, 
if adopted, and determine if the mitigation measures included in the 
plan are being effectively implemented, while providing additional 
resources for further security enhancement. In addition to examining 
the security plan document, TSA reviews one or more assets of the 
public transportation and highway entities' system.
    During BASE site visits of PT and HWY entities, TSIs-S collect 
information and complete a BASE checklist from the review PT and HWY 
entities' documents, plans, and procedures. They also interview 
appropriate PT and HWY entities personnel and conduct system 
observations prompted by questions raised during the document review 
and interview stages. TSA conducts the interviews to ascertain and 
clarify information on security measures and to identify security gaps. 
The interviews also provide TSA with a method to encourage the surface 
transportation entities participating in the BASE reviews to be 
diligent in effecting and maintaining security-related improvements.
    This program provides TSA with real-time information on current 
security practices within the transit (including transit bus), 
passenger rail, trucking, school bus contractor, school district, and 
motor coach modes of the surface transportation sector. This 
information also allows TSA to adapt programs to the changing threat 
dynamically, while incorporating an understanding of the improvements 
surface transportation entities make in their security posture. Without 
this information, the ability of TSA to perform its security mission 
would be severely hindered. Additionally, the relationships these face-
to-face contacts foster are critical to TSA's ability to reach out to 
the surface transportation entities participating in the BASE program.
    If TSA determines information in a completed assessment constitutes 
Sensitive Security Information in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 114(r) and 
49 CFR parts 15 and 1520, TSA will protect it in accordance with the 
requirements set forth in part 1520.

Use of Results

    The information collected by TSA through BASE reviews helps to 
strengthen the security of PT and HWY entities' security programs by 
supporting security program development (including grant programs),\6\ 
and the analysis/evaluation provides a consistent road map for PT and 
HWY entities to address security and emergency program vulnerabilities. 
In addition, a PT or HWY entity that undergoes a BASE review is 
provided with a report of results that can be used by the system to 
identify and prioritize vulnerabilities and funding to enhance 
security. The BASE reviews also will align PT and HWY entities' 
security efforts with other TSA risk reduction efforts and provide 
industry partners corrective action options to consider by identifying 
security smart practices to share with others.
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    \6\ See United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
Report to Congressional Requesters, GAO-15-159, PUBLIC TRANSIT 
Federal and Transit Agencies Taking Steps to Build Transit Systems' 
Resilience but Face Challenges, December 2014, page 10. https://www.gao.gov/assets/670/667391.pdf. GAO reviewed transit systems' 
resilience to catastrophic events. The report examined (1) how DHS 
and the Department of Transportation help transit agencies make 
their systems resilient; (2) actions selected by transit agencies 
take to make their systems resilient; and (3) challenges transit 
agencies face with making their systems resilient.
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    Specifically, the information collected will be used:
    1. To develop a baseline understanding of a PT and HWY entities' 
security and emergency management processes, procedures, policies, 
programs, and activities against security requirements and recommended 
security practices published by TSA.
    2. To enhance a PT and HWY entities' overall security posture 
through collaborative review and discussion of existing security 
activities, identification of areas of potential weakness or 
vulnerability, and development of remedial recommendations and courses 
of action.
    3. To identify programs and protocols implemented by PT and HWY 
entities that represent an ``effective'' or ``smart'' security practice 
warranting sharing with the transportation community as a whole to 
foster general enhancement of security in the transportation mode.
    4. To inform TSA's development of security strategies, priorities, 
and programs for the most effective application of available resources, 
including funds distributed under the respective Federal grant 
programs, to enhance security within the Nation's surface 
transportation system.
    While TSA has not set a limit on the number of BASE program reviews 
to conduct, TSA estimates it will conduct approximately 30 PT BASE 
reviews and approximately 60 HWY BASE reviews on an annual basis. TSA 
does not intend to conduct more than one BASE review per transit or 
passenger rail system in a single year. TSA estimates that the hour 
burden per PT entity to engage its security and/or operating officials 
with inspectors in the interactive BASE program review process is 
approximately 12 hours. Also, TSA estimates that the hour burden per 
HWY entity to engage its security and/or operating officials with 
inspectors in the interactive BASE program review process is 
approximately 5 hours. Thus, the total annual hour burden for the PT 
BASE program review is 360 hours annually (30 x 12 hours = 360 hours) 
and for HWY BASE 300 hours annually (60 x 5 hours = 300 hours).

    Dated: February 5, 2015.
Christina A. Walsh,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2015-02829 Filed 2-10-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 91105-05-P