This information request is mandatory for offerors and carriers of certain hazardous materials to develop and implement a security plan. This collection is a reporting and recordkeeping requirement, which must be evaluated on an annual basis, as long as the hazardous materials subject to security plan requirements are still offered and/or carried. Security plans are required to be maintained at the principal place of business and must be made available, at a reasonable time and location, to an authorized official of the Department of Transportation or Department of Homeland Security. This information collection requires the evaluation of transportation security risks, including site-specific or location-specific risks associated with facilities at which the hazardous materials are prepared for transportation, stored, or unloaded incidental to movement. In addition, rail carriers of certain hazardous materials, are subject to additional security plan requirements, including the selection of the most practicable route posing the least overall safety and security risk. Security plans reduce the possibility that a hazardous material shipment will be used as a weapon of opportunity by terrorists.
There is no change in total number of burden hours. However, there is a change in the number of responses, because PHMSA has expanded one reporting and recordkeeping information collection into 23 reporting and recordkeeping information collections. This change reflects more specific reporting, it is not reflective of any regulatory changes to security plan requirements.
US Code:
49 USC 5101-5125
Name of Law: Hazardous Materials Transportation Law
There are no changes to the total number of burden hours for the renewal of this OMB Control Number. However, there is a change in the number of responses. During review of this burden, PHMSA noted it has historically consolidated of all reporting and recordkeeping requirements into one information collection. As demonstrated throughout this justification, there are 23 different reporting and recordkeeping requirements, which PHMSA is now identifying. This change increases the number of responses. However, this did not change the number of total burden hours, because no changes were made to the security plan requirements.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.