Department of Homeland Security 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Colorado (FEMA-4731-DR), dated August 25, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois (FEMA-4728-DR), dated August 15, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Montana (FEMA-4726-DR), dated August 12, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Hawaii (FEMA-4724-DR), dated August 10, 2023, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a fireworks display at The Wharf DC on December 2, 2023, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for Fireworks Displays within the Fifth Coast Guard District identifies the safety zone for this event in Washington, DC. During the enforcement period, vessels may not enter, remain in, or transit through the safety zone unless authorized to do so by the COTP or his representative, and vessels in the vicinity must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the draw of the California Department of Transportation (Route 4) highway bridge, mile 14.8 between Victoria Island and Byron Tract, CA. This action is necessary to allow the bridge owner to complete rehabilitation of the bridge after an unexpected delay in delivery of custom made electronics.

The Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HSAPC) will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 from 3:30 p.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. EST. Public participation is welcome via Zoom pre-registration.

The National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a virtual meeting to discuss issues relating to personnel in the United States Merchant Marine including the training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and fitness of mariners. The virtual meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary security zone for all navigable waters within a 2 nautical miles radius of Read Island, AK, centered at Latitude: 57[deg]06'48.3'' N, Longitude: 133[deg]11'43.4'' W, where a MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter crashed (CG- 6016), early on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. This security zone is needed to protect and preserve the crash site of the MH-60 Helicopter wreck. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Southeast Alaska or a designated representative.

Comments are requested on proposed flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of any Base Flood Elevation (BFE), base flood depth, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary or zone designation, or regulatory floodway on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the preliminary FIRM, and where applicable, the FIS report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided to the affected communities. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis 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).

Comments are requested on proposed flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of any Base Flood Elevation (BFE), base flood depth, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary or zone designation, or regulatory floodway on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the preliminary FIRM, and where applicable, the FIS report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided to the affected communities. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis 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).

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will hold a public meeting of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) on December 6, 2023. Members of the ASAC will meet in person at the TSA Headquarters. Members of the public will be able to participate virtually via WebEx. The meeting agenda and information on public participation is provided below under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

DHS, in consultation with DOL, is exercising time-limited Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 authority and increasing the total number of noncitizens who may receive an H-2B nonimmigrant visa by up to 64,716 for the entirety of FY 2024. These supplemental visas will be distributed in several allocations. 20,000 visas made available in this rule will be reserved for nationals of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, or Costa Rica. All visas will be available only to businesses that are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm, as attested by the employer. In addition, DHS is again providing temporary portability flexibility.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, with change, of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the information collection activities required to administer the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) and an additional new form to facilitate extension requests.

The Coast Guard is establishing four temporary, 500-yard radius, moving security zones within the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and the La Quinta Channel. The temporary security zones are needed to protect certain vessels carrying cargoes which pose such risks that they require an elevated level of security, the cargoes themselves, and the surrounding waterway from terrorist acts, sabotage, or other subversive acts, accidents, or other events of a similar nature. Entry of vessels or persons into these zones is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a revision of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), which includes the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), and Operation Stonegarden (OPSG). This revision removes the OPSG Daily Activity Report (FEMA Form FF-207-FY-21-113 (formerly 089-0- 27)) from the collection.

The U.S. Coast Guard is accepting applications to fill four vacancies on the National Boating Safety Advisory Committee (Committee). This Committee advises the Secretary of Homeland Security, via the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, on matters relating to national recreational boating safety.

The Coast Guard is publishing this notice to satisfy a requirement of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that requires a detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and activities funded under the national recreational boating safety program provision of the Act be published annually in the Federal Register. This notice specifies the funding amounts the Coast Guard has committed, obligated, or expended during fiscal year 2023, as of September 30, 2023.

The Faith-Based Security Advisory Council (FBSAC) will hold a hybrid meeting on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. The meeting will be open to the public.

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 a revision in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR covers the assessment of current security practices in public transportation passenger rail (PTPR) and highway and motor carrier (HWY) industries by way of the 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 that supports the mission of TSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This voluntary collection allows TSA to conduct transportation security- related assessments during site visits with security and operating officials of certain surface transportation modes.

The Department of Homeland Security, S&T/CIO, DHS will submit the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DHS previously published this information collection request (ICR) in the Federal Register on November 1, 2023, for a 60-day public comment period. One comment was received by DHS. The purpose of this notice is to allow additional 30- days for public comments.

The Coast Guard will enforce the San Diego Parade of Lights special local regulations on the waters of San Diego Bay, California on December 10, 2023 and December 17, 2023. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from anchoring, blocking, loitering, or impeding within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector San Diego or a designated representative.

CISA is publishing this notice to announce the CISA Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Quarterly Meeting will meet in person on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. This meeting will be partially closed to the public.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a security zone for certain waters of the Key West Harbor surrounding the Coast Guard Sector Key West on Trumbo Point Annex. This action is necessary to safeguard Coast Guard assets in the interest of national security. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Key West or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary security zones in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean within the San Francisco Captain of the Port (COTP) zone. The security zones are along San Francisco Pier 15/17, approximately 1,000 yards from shore, and the Legion of Honor, approximately 450 yards from shore. The security zones are necessary to protect the harbors, ports, and waterfront facilities during a visit from high-ranking government officials and members of the official party. Entry of vessels or persons into these zones is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port San Francisco or a designated representative.