Department of Homeland Security 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is advising the public of the availability of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for its support of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research and field release of two insects, the Arundo scale and the Arundo wasp as biological control agents for the non-native and invasive Carrizo cane in the continental United States. To reach this FONSI, CBP examined two Environmental Assessments (EAs) prepared by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), performed independent analyses of those EAs, and reached its own findings. The two EAs (APHIS 2009 and 2010) are also being made available through CBP.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: Crew's Effects Declaration (CBP Form 1304). This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with no change to the burden hours. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (76 FR 56213) on September 12, 2011, allowing for a 60-day comment period. One comment was received. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

This Notice provides guidelines that describe the application process for grants and the criteria for awarding grants in the fiscal year (FY) 2011 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program year. It explains the differences, if any, between these guidelines and those recommended by representatives of the Nation's fire service leadership during the annual Criteria Development meeting, which was held October 6-7, 2010. The application period for the FY 2011 AFG Program year was open from August 15, 2011, to September 23, 2011, and was announced on https://www.grants.gov. Approximately 16,491 applications for AFG funding were submitted electronically, using the application submission form and process available at https://portal.fema.gov. Before the application period, the FY 2011 AFG Guidance and Application Kit was published on the AFG Web site (https://www.fema.gov/firegrants). Additional information to assist applicants also was provided on the AFG Web site, including an applicant tutorial, a Get Ready Guide, and a Narrative Assistance Guide. The AFG Program makes grants directly to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical services (EMS) organizations for the purpose of enhancing the abilities of first responders to protect the health and safety of the public as well as that of first-responder personnel facing fire and fire-related hazards. In addition, the authorizing statute requires that a minimum of 5 percent of appropriated funds be expended for fire prevention and safety grants, which are also made directly to local fire departments and to local, regional, State, or national entities recognized for their expertise in the fields of fire prevention and firefighter safety research and development.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, 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 revision of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the National Flood Insurance Program Mortgage Portfolio Protection program, which is an option that companies participating in the National Flood Insurance Program can use to bring their mortgage loan portfolios into compliance with the flood insurance purchase requirements. To participate in the Mortgage Portfolio Protection Program, the company must agree to adhere to certain guidelines and requirements in the implementation package published by the Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. The Write Your Own insurance company signs documentation noting they agree to adhere to these requirements.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-015 Electronic Immigration System-2 Account and Case Management System of Records.'' This system of records will allow the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to collect and maintain records on an individual after he or she submits a benefit request and/or updates account information to create or update U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Electronic Immigration System accounts; gather any missing information; manage workflow; assist U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in making a benefit determination; and provide a repository of data to assist with the efficient processing of future benefit requests. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Electronic Immigration System-2 Account and Case Management will also be used to process and track all actions related to a particular case, including scheduling appointments and issuing decision notices and/or proofs of benefit. This system of records notice is being updated to reflect the incorporation of new forms, new categories of records, and clarified data retention to better inform the public. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security is issuing a Final Rule elsewhere in the Federal Register, to exempt this system of records from certain provisions of the Privacy Act. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services014 Electronic Immigration System-1 Temporary Accounts and Draft Benefit Requests System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to collect and maintain records on an individual as he or she creates a temporary electronic account and/or drafts a benefit request for submission through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Electronic Immigration System. This system of records notice is being updated to reflect the incorporation of new forms, new categories of records, and clarified data retention to better inform the public. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone upon specified waters of the Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during a fireworks display launched from a floating platform located within the National Harbor Access Channel, in Prince Georges County, Maryland. This safety zone is intended to protect the maritime public in a portion of the Potomac River.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations on the waters of the New River and the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida during the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade on Saturday, December 10, 2011. The marine parade will consist of approximately 120 vessels. The marine parade will begin at Cooley's Landing Marina and end at Lake Santa Barbara. From Cooley's Landing Marina, the marine parade will transit east on the New River, then head north on the Intracoastal Waterway to Lake Santa Barbara. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the marine parade. The special local regulations consist of a series of moving buffer zones around participant vessels as they transit from Cooley's Landing Marina to Lake Santa Barbara. Persons and vessels that are not participating in the marine parade are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within any of the buffer zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated representative.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the establishment of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) by notice published in the Federal Register Notice (71 FR 14930-14933) dated March 24, 2006. That notice identified the purpose of CIPAC as well as its membership. This notice provides: (i) The quarterly CIPAC membership update; (ii) instructions on how the public can obtain the CIPAC membership roster and other information on the Council; and, (iii) information on recently completed CIPAC meetings.

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) is announcing an additional public meeting to consult with the public on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), entitled ``Ammonium Nitrate Security Program,'' which was published in the Federal Register on August 3, 2011. The Department previously announced a series of public meetings on the same topic on October 2, 2011 (see 76 FR 62311). Under the proposed Ammonium Nitrate Security Program, the DHS will regulate the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate pursuant to section 563 of the Fiscal Year 2008 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act with the purpose of preventing the use of ammonium nitrate in an act of terrorism. The Department seeks public input on the proposed rule, particularly input regarding the questions and issues raised in the NPRM and raised in this notice. Date, Time, and Location: An additional public meeting is scheduled to be held at the following location: St. Petersburg, Florida, Thursday, November 17, 2011, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park, 950 Lake Carillon Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33716. DHS may announce changes to the current schedule or additional public meeting dates, times, and locations in a subsequent notice or notices to be published in the Federal Register.

This notice announces that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has forwarded the Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0033, abstracted below to OMB for review and approval of an extension of the currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 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 July 27, 2011, 76 FR 44944. This collection of information allows TSA to conduct security threat assessments on individuals on board aircraft operating in restricted airspace pursuant to an airspace waiver. This collection will enhance aviation security and protect assets on the ground that are within the restricted airspace.

This notice announces that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has forwarded the Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0034, abstracted below to OMB for review and approval of an extension of the currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 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 August 10, 2011, 76 FR 49504. The collection involves TSA gathering information from Territorial, Tribal, Federal, municipal, county, state, and authorized railroad law enforcement agencies who have requested the Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Flying Armed training course.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the S168 Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, mile 12.0, at Chesapeake (Great Bridge), VA. This deviation is necessary to accommodate the annual Christmas parade event.

The Coast Guard proposes a change to drawbridge operations for the Canadian Pacific Railroad Drawbridge across the Black River at Mile 1.0 near La Crosse, Wisconsin. Drawspan is currently operated by an onsite bridge tender, opening on signal following two-hour notification. The proposed change is for drawspan operation by remote operator, opening immediately upon demand.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Lapalco Boulevard bascule span drawbridge across the Harvey Canal Route, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), mile 2.8 at Harvey, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary to allow for the cleaning and painting of bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed during the day Monday through Saturday for three months.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulations governing the operation of the Norfolk Southern 5 Railroad Bridge, mile 1.1, Norfolk, VA. Under this temporary deviation, the drawbridge may remain in the closed position on specific dates and times to facilitate laying new rail.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Maryland (FEMA-4038-DR), dated October 5, 2011, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (FEMA-4040-DR), dated October 18, 2011, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of an emergency for the State of Connecticut (FEMA-3342-EM), dated October 31, 2011, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Texas (FEMA-4029-DR), dated September 9, 2011, and related determinations.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this proposed rule is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

This document provides required notice of substantive rules issued by the Coast Guard and temporarily effective between March 2010 and July 2011, that expired before they could be published in the Federal Register. This notice lists temporary safety zones, security zones, special local regulations, drawbridge operation regulations and regulated navigation areas, all of limited duration and for which timely publication in the Federal Register was not possible.

This document announces U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) plan to conduct a National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entry capability. This new capability will include functionality specific to the filing of entry data for formal and informal consumption entries. This functionality will simplify the entry process by allowing participants to submit 12 required and three (3) optional data elements to CBP at any time prior to the arrival of the merchandise on the conveyance transporting the cargo to the United States. This data will fulfill merchandise entry requirements and will allow for earlier release decisions and more certainty for the importer in determining the logistics of cargo delivery. This initial phase of the test will be open to entries filed in the air transportation mode only. This notice invites parties to participate in the test, seeks public comment concerning any aspect of the planned test, describes the eligibility requirements for participation in the test, and outlines the development and evaluation methodology to be used in the test. This notice will be referred to as the Simplified Entry Notice.