Department of Homeland Security May 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the drawbridge operation regulation for the Spokane Street Bridge across the Duwamish Waterway, mile 0.3, in Seattle, Washington, by establishing two daily closed draw periods Monday through Friday. The change is necessary to help alleviate roadway traffic and will do so by preventing traffic stoppages on either side of the bridge during high volume traffic periods. Large vessels would be exempted from the closed draw periods.

The Coast Guard proposes establishment of safety zones for annual events in the Captain of the Port Detroit zone. This proposed rule consolidates current regulations establishing safety zones for annual fireworks events in the former Captain of the Port Toledo Zone and the former Captain of the Port Detroit Zone. In addition, it adds events not previously published in Coast Guard regulations. These safety zones are necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays or other events.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this request for comments announces that the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding three Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting an extension of their approval for the following collections of information: (1) 1625-0001, Marine Casualty Information & Periodic Chemical Drug and Alcohol Testing of Commercial Vessel Personnel; (2) 1625-0013, Plan Approval and Records for Load Lines, and (3) 1625-0096, Report of Oil or Hazardous Substance Discharge; and Report of Suspicious Maritime Activity. Our ICRs describe the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard is amending its regulations to implement the vessel security officer training and certification amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, and the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code. These amendments incorporate the training and qualification requirements for vessel security officers into the requirements for the credentialing of United States merchant mariners. The vessel security officer requirements would apply to all vessels subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, under current regulations. This includes all seagoing vessels, as defined in 46 CFR 15.1101, to mean self-propelled vessels engaged in commercial service that operate beyond the Boundary Line established by 46 CFR Part 7, except those vessels which have been determined to be otherwise exempt from STCW as per 46 CFR 15.103(e) and (f).

The Coast Guard is establishing safety zones for various fireworks events in the Captain of the Port Buffalo zone. This rule consolidates current regulations establishing safety zones for annual fireworks events in the former Captain of the Port Cleveland Zone and the former Captain of the Port Buffalo Zone. In addition, it adds events not previously published in Coast Guard regulations. These safety zones are necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays or other events.

The Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that the renewal of the charter of the State and Local Training Advisory Committee (SALTAC) is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's performance of its duties in providing law enforcement training to state, local and tribal law professionals. This determination follows consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration. Name of Committee: State and Local Training Advisory Committee.

The 9/11 Heroes Stamp Act of 2001 directed the United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal stamp and distribute the proceeds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the families of emergency relief personnel killed or permanently disabled while serving in the line of duty in connection with the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. In response, FEMA issued interim regulations that governed the distribution of those funds. Now that all funds have been distributed and all appeals resolved, FEMA is issuing this Final rule to remove the interim regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations.

Section 107 of the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 requires that geospatial digital flood hazard data distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), or its designee, or the printed products derived from that data, be interchangeable and legally equivalent for the determination of the location of 1-in-100-year and 1-in-500-year floodplains, provided that all other geospatial data shown on the printed product meets or exceeds any accuracy standard promulgated by FEMA. This is required for the purposes of flood insurance and floodplain management activities conducted pursuant to the National Flood Insurance Program under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. The FEMA Mitigation Directorate has developed a policy to implement this requirement. The policy states: To which FEMA products it applies; that ``printed products'' refers to both printed paper products produced by FEMA and by others; and that the horizontal location of the special flood hazard area on new products is defined by geographic coordinates.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Portland Rose Festival Security Zone on the Willamette River from 1 a.m. on June 4, 2008 until 10 a.m. June 10, 2008. This action is necessary for the security of public vessels on a portion of the Willamette River during the fleet week of the Rose Festival. This security zone provides for the regulation of vessel traffic in the vicinity of the moored public vessels. During the enforcement period, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designee.

The Department of Homeland Security is giving concurrent notice of a revised and updated system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the United States Coast Guard's Maritime Awareness Global Network (MAGNET) system. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt this system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, intelligence and administrative enforcement requirements.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security is giving notice that it proposes to update a system of records in its inventory. The Department of Homeland Security is updating the General Information Technology Access Account Records System system of records notice to include four new routine uses and to add to the categories of records covered by the system. The first new routine use will allow for information sharing with federal agencies such as the Office of Personnel Management, the Merit Systems Protection Board, Office of Management and Budget, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Government Accountability Office, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when information is requested in the performance of those agencies' official duties. The second routine use will allow for the routine sharing of business information outside of the Department for official purposes. This includes the sharing of business contact information to contacts outside of the Department. The third routine use allows for sharing for the purpose of investigating an alleged or proven act of identity fraud or theft. The fourth routine use allows sharing of information to regulatory and oversight bodies, including auditors, who are responsible for ensuring appropriate use of government resources. The categories of records in the system have been updated to clarify that the information used to access DHS networks is logged and recorded, specifically user IDs, date and time of access, and the internet protocol (IP) address of the computer used to access the network. Further added to the categories of records are the names of senders and receivers of email on DHS networks.

The Department of Homeland Security is giving concurrent notice of a system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the United States Coast Guard's Law Enforcement Information Data Base (LEIDB)/ Pathfinder system. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt this system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, intelligence and administrative enforcement requirements.

The Department of Homeland Security is concurrently establishing a new system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 [5 U.S.C. 552a], as amended, to cover records maintained by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. These records were previously covered by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Operations Center Database [DHS/IAIP-001], last published in full text on April 18, 2005 [70 FR 20156]. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to exempt this new system of records, entitled the Office of Intelligence and Analysis Enterprise Records System (ERS) [DHS/IA-001], from subsections (c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I) and (f) of the Privacy Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k). As explained in the proposed rule, the exemption is necessary to avoid interference with the intelligence, counterterrorism, and other homeland security responsibilities, and any related law enforcement functions of the Department of Homeland Security and its Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Public comment is invited.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Missouri (FEMA-1742-DR), dated February 5, 2008, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Missouri (FEMA-1748-DR), dated March 12, 2008, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Arkansas (FEMA-1751-DR), dated March 26, 2008, and related determinations.

This interim rule lists communities where modification of the Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. New flood insurance premium rates will be calculated from the modified BFEs for new buildings and their contents.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Weymouth 4th of July fireworks event. This action is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property during the fireworks event. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port Boston.

This rule establishes a fee-for-service Genealogy Program within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to streamline and improve the process for acquiring historical records of deceased individuals. Currently, USCIS processes such requests through its Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act (FOIA/PA) program, thereby adding unnecessary delays to the process. USCIS expects that this Genealogy Program will ensure a timely response to requests for genealogical and historical records and will relieve USCIS' FOIA/PA program of requests that do not require FOIA/PA expertise. It will put researchers in touch with the correct staff persons within USCIS, and it will create a dedicated queue for genealogists and other researchers seeking access to historical records.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning the Guam Visa Waiver Agreement (Form I-760). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Craigie Bridge across the Charles River at mile 1.0, at Boston, Massachusetts. Under this temporary deviation the bridge may remain in the closed position for two hours to facilitate a public event, the Boston Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration. This deviation is necessary to facilitate public safety during a public event.

The Coast Guard proposes to revise the boundaries of three anchorage grounds in Upper New York Bay adjacent to Ellis and Liberty Islands. This proposed action is necessary due to the proposed increase in size of the Safety and Security Zones surrounding Ellis and Liberty Islands.