Notice2023-24858
Intent To Request Revision of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) Program
Primary source
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Published
November 13, 2023
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentTransportation Security Administration
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 217 (Monday, November 13, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 217 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77602-77603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24858]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration
Intent To Request Revision of Agency Information Collection
Activity Under OMB Review: 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 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.
DATES: Send your comments by January 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be emailed to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#461215071614070632352768222e3568212930"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6e2e5f7e6e4f7f6c2c5d798d2dec598d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a> or delivered
to the TSA PRA Officer, Information Technology, TSA 11, Transportation
Security Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA
20598-6011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Raymond at the above address,
or by telephone (571) 227-2526.
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 will be
available at <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov">https://www.reginfo.gov</a> upon its submission to OMB.
Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and approval of the following
information collection, TSA is soliciting comments to--
(1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement 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
OMB Control Number 1652-0062; Baseline Assessment for Security
Enhancement (BASE) Program. Under the Aviation and Transportation
Security Act 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 also required to ``assess the security of
each surface transportation mode and evaluate the effectiveness and
efficiency of current Federal Government surface transportation
security initiatives.'' \2\
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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 the Aviation and Transportation Security Act 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, Nov. 25, 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\ See Executive Order 13416 of Dec. 5, 2006 (Strengthening
Surface Transportation Security) at sec. 3(a).
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TSA developed the 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 PTPR (including rail and bus operations). Based on the success of
the program, TSA developed the HWY BASE program in 2012. The HWY BASE
applies to trucking, school bus contractors, school districts, and
over-the-road motor coaches. This voluntary program enables TSA to
collect and evaluate physical and operational preparedness information
and critical assets and key point-of-contact lists. TSA also reviews
emergency procedures and domain awareness training and provides an
opportunity to share industry best practices.
The BASE program provides TSA with current information on adopted
security-practices within the PTPR and HWY modes of the surface
transportation sector. The information collected also allows TSA to
dynamically adapt programs to the changing threat with an understanding
of the improvements surface transportation entities make in their
security posture. 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.
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 PTPR
[[Page 77603]]
and HWY systems, throughout the U.S. The TSIs-S receive and document
relevant information using a standardized checklist. In April 2020 the
Government Accountability Office, audit GA-20-404, recommended TSA
update the BASE cybersecurity questions to ensure they reflect key
practices. As a result, TSA revised the collection to reflect the five
core functions of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) cybersecurity framework. These core functions, and a majority of
the subcategories, were combined with industry best practices into a
set of additional questions focused on cybersecurity to identify
vulnerabilities and provide support for strengthening the cybersecurity
baseline for the surface transportation sector. In May 2023, TSA formed
a team of surface transportation subject matter experts to review the
222 questions on the PTPR BASE and 52 that were deemed no longer
relevant or repetitive, were removed.
Advance coordination and planning ensures the efficiency of the
assessment process. The TSIs-S review and analyze the stakeholders'
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, TSIs-S reviews one or more assets
of the private and/or public owner/operator.
During BASE site visits of PTPR and HWY entities, TSIs-S collect
information and complete a BASE checklist from the review of each
entity's documents, plans, and procedures. They also interview
appropriate entity personnel and conduct system observations prompted
by questions raised during the document review and interview stages.
TSA conducts the interviews to establish and clarify information on
security measures implemented by the entity and to identify security
gaps. The one-on-one interviews establish a relationship that fosters
engagement on, and implementation of, effective and sustained security.
Without this information, the ability for TSA to perform its
security mission would be severely hindered. Absent this program, there
would be no consistent data about these transportation security
programs, nor a decentralized database TSA could use to benchmark the
programs. While many PTPR and HWY entities have security and emergency
response plans or protocols in place, the BASE provides a consistent
approach to evaluate the extent to which security programs exist and
the content of those programs.
The participants in the BASE program receive the benefit of a no-
cost, voluntary, risk-based assessment tailored to their operations and
the size of their organization. These targeted assessments provide
actionable options for consideration to strengthen an entities lowest-
scoring items. Organizations that participate in the BASE may qualify
to receive grant funding to address high-risk security areas and also
receive additional guidance to strengthen their security.
While TSA has not set a limit on the number of BASE program reviews
to conduct, TSA estimates it will conduct approximately 70 PTPR BASE
reviews and approximately 107 HWY BASE reviews on an annual basis. TSA
does not intend to conduct more than one BASE review per public
transportation passenger rail system in a single year. TSA estimates
that the hour burden per PTPR entity to engage its security and/or
operating officials with inspectors in the interactive BASE program
review process is approximately 9 hours. For HWY, TSA estimates
approximately 1.8 hours per HWY entity to engage its security and/or
operating officials with inspectors in the interactive BASE program
review process. Those who choose to also participate in the new cyber
BASE will spend 7.8 hours each, and TSA expects there will be eight
reviews conducted per year. The total annual hour burden for the PTPR
BASE program review is 630 hours, for HWY BASE 192.6 hours, and for
Cybersecurity BASE 62.4 hours, for a total annual burden of 885 hours.
Dated: November 6, 2023.
Nicole Raymond,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2023-24858 Filed 11-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P
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