Department of Homeland Security 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard announces that effective anti-terrorism measures are not in place in certain ports of Cameroon and that it will impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving from that country.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issues this notice of the dates for the beginning of the initial enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for the Ports of Boston, MA; Charleston, SC; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Port Fourchon, LA; and Brownsville, TX.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a proposed continuing information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the information collection outlined in 44 CFR part 71, as it pertains to application for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) insurance for buildings located in Coastal Barrier Resource System (CBRS) communities.

The National Infrastructure Advisory Council will meet on January 8, 2008 in Washington, DC. The meeting will be open to the public.

This document announces that the fee collected by Customs and Border Protection regarding the submission of fingerprints for those applying for certain positions or requesting various identification cards which necessitate a fingerprint records check, will be raised to a total of $32.49 to offset the fee being charged Customs and Border Protection by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This final rule revises the list of chemicals of interest, or COI, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS or the Department) included as Appendix A to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Interim Final Rule. Appendix A lists chemicals of interest and screening threshold quantities, or STQs. Any facility that possesses (or later comes into possession of) the listed chemicals in quantities that meet or exceed the STQ for any applicable security issue must complete and submit a Top-Screen. This will assist the Department in determining whether a facility presents a high level of security risk. In this final rule, DHS, among other things: (i) Adjusts the STQs for certain COI; (ii) defines the specific security issue or issues implicated by each chemical of interest, and in some cases, establishes different STQs for COI based upon the security issue presented; and (iii) adds provisions that instruct facilities on how to calculate the quantities of COI that they have in their possession. These refinements to Appendix A will assist the Department in more precisely identifying facilities that may be designated as high risk, while reducing the burden on facilities that possess chemicals in smaller amounts.

The Coast Guard is conducting a Port Access Route Study (PARS) on the area east and south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to include the northern right whale critical habitat, mandatory ship reporting system area, and the Great South Channel including Georges Bank out to the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) boundary. The purpose of the PARS is to analyze potential vessel routing measures that might help reduce ship strikes with the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale while minimizing any adverse effects on vessel operations. The recommendations of the study will inform the Coast Guard and may lead to appropriate international actions.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issues this notice of the dates for the beginning of the initial enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for the Ports of Dundalk, MD; Minneapolis, MN; and St. Paul, MN.

``The Great Lakes Regional Waterways Management Forum'' will hold a meeting to discuss various waterways management issues. Potential agenda items will include navigation, ballast water regulations, waterways management, Great Lakes water levels, and discussions about the agenda for the next meeting. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the State Route 22 (SR 22) Bridge across Tchefuncta River, mile 2.5, at Madisonville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the State Route 433 (S433) bridge across Liberty Bayou, mile 2.0, at Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed.

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC), will meet in San Ramon, California to discuss various issues relating to national maritime security. This meeting will be open to the public.

This document provides an additional 15 days for interested persons to submit comments on the proposed rule to amend the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations pertaining to pilots of any private aircraft arriving in the United States from a foreign port or location or departing the United States for a foreign port or location. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on September 18, 2007, and the comment period was scheduled to expire on November 19, 2007.

The Department of Homeland Security Privacy Office will host a public workshop, CCTV: Developing Privacy Best Practices.

The Coast Guard proposes to create special local regulations to regulate recurring marine events in the Seventh Coast Guard District. These regulations will apply to all permitted events listed on the table attached to the regulation, and include events such as regattas, parades, and fireworks displays. These regulations are being proposed to reduce the Coast Guard's administrative workload and expedite public notification of events.

The Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the George C. Musson/Coronado Beach (SR 44) Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 845, at New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida. This deviation is necessary to expedite repairs to the George C. Musson/Coronado Beach Bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to open on signal, except during daylight hours, during which the bridge will open twice.

This Notice announces that employers petitioning for temporary or seasonal agricultural workers coming to the United States under the H-2A nonimmigrant classification must file their petitions at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's California Service Center. Receiving all H-2A petitions at the designated California Service Center will enable U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reduce overall petition processing times and better monitor the adjudication of H-2A petitions.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for fiscal year 2008 grants and cooperative agreements from national, nongovernmental, nonprofit public service organizations. These grants and cooperative agreements would be used to fund projects on various subjects promoting recreational boating safety on a national scope. This notice provides information about the grant and cooperative agreement application process and some of the subjects of particular interest to the Coast Guard.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is altering and re-publishing the complete system of records, DHS/TSA 019, under the Privacy Act of 1974, known as ``Secure Flight Records,'' for a passenger screening program known as Secure Flight. TSA originally established this system of records and published the system of records notice (SORN) in the Federal Register on August 23, 2007 (Part III, 72 FR 48392). TSA received and considered public comments on the SORN and is altering the system of records to reflect the deletion of an exemption previously claimed under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1). The Secure Flight program implements a mandate of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) and is consistent with TSA's authority under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA). Section 4012(a)(1) of the IRTPA requires TSA to assume from air carriers the comparison of passenger information for domestic flights to the consolidated and integrated terrorist watch list maintained by the Federal Government. Further, section 4012(a)(2) of IRTPA similarly requires the DHS to compare passenger information for international flights to and from the United States against the consolidated and integrated terrorist watch list before departure of such flights. The SORN is being altered to reflect TSA's determination that the system will not contain classified material, and TSA will not claim an exemption under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1).

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the State Route 433 (S433) Bridge across Bonfouca Bayou, mile 7.0, at Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed.

The Houston/Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee (HOGANSAC) will meet to elect a new committee chairperson, vice- chairperson and chairpersons for subcommittees. The meeting will not be a working meeting. This meeting will be open to the public.

This rule identifies communities, where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the Federal Register on a subsequent date.

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily change the regulations that govern the operation of the US 50 Bridge across the Isle of Wight Bay (Sinepuxent Bay), at mile 0.5, in Ocean City, MD. The proposal would close the drawbridge to navigation in order to facilitate extensive rehabilitation and to maintain the bridge's operational integrity. Vessels that can pass under the bridge without a bridge opening may do so at all times.

The meeting of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) scheduled for November 8, 2007 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. is cancelled. Notice of this meeting was published in the October 12, 2007, Federal Register at 58110-58111.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to amend the regulations pertaining to admission of certain nonimmigrants to the United States. This rule proposes to authorize issuance of certain short-term nonimmigrant visas and temporary admission for aliens who are inadmissible solely due to their infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The proposed rule would provide, on a limited and categorical basis, a more streamlined process to authorize these nonimmigrant aliens to enter the United States as visitors (for business or pleasure) for up to thirty days, subject to certain conditions to ensure the control and departure of such aliens. Nonimmigrant aliens who do not meet the specific circumstances of these clarifying instructions or who do not wish to consent to the conditions that would be imposed by this proposed rule may still elect a case-by-case determination of their eligibility for a waiver of the nonimmigrant visa requirements for aliens afflicted with HIV. The proposed rule also updates regulatory language to conform to a statutory change brought about by the Immigration Act of 1990.