Congressional Research Service Report on Pipeline Safety and Security

Last month, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) issued a report on U.S. pipeline safety and security. The report reviews current pipeline security and safety activities within the Transportation Security Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and suggests that Congress assess how the various elements of U.S. pipeline safety and security fit together in the nation’s overall strategy to protect transportation infrastructure.

TSA Publishes 30 Day ICR Notice For Rail Security Program

This week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published a 30 Day Information Collection Request Notice in support of its Rail Security Program. Comments will be accepted through May 2, 2012.

2012 Chemical Sector Security Summit

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that the 2012 Chemical Sector Security Summit will be held in Baltimore, MD on July 31-August 1, 2012. DHS will provide agenda and registration details later this Spring. Please visit the DHS website for more information.

TSA Publishes 2011 Enforcement Action Annual Report

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published its 2011 annual report on enforcement actions. In 2011, TSA took 21 surface transportation actions. These actions were taken as a result of rail car chain of custody and location violations, as well as Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) violations (e.g., use of another’s TWIC, fraudulent manufacture of a TWIC). TSA collected a total of $8,500 in civil penalties for the violations.

Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Reader Pilot Program Final Report

This week the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a Final Report for its TWIC Reader Pilot Program. The Pilot Program took place over a three year period and included over 30 different TWIC reader models in multiple ports across the country.

Despite some challenges, the report indicated that TWIC readers function properly and make efficient and effective access decisions when installed, operated, and utilized in their intended environment. The Coast Guard will now use the results of the Pilot Program to assist it in preparing a TWIC Reader Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and ultimately, a TWIC Reader Final Rule.

Port Security Grant Program Outreach

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will host two national conference calls for persons interested in applying for Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding for FY 2012. The calls are split into East Coast and West Coast, though all are welcome to join either call. The call information, dates, and times are listed below:

Call in Number: 1-800-320-4330
PIN: 318745

East Coast
Wednesday, February 22nd 11:00 a.m. EST

West Coast
Thursday, February 23rd 1:00 p.m. EST

MTSA II Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Timetable

This week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its semi-annual regulatory
agenda which outlines all current and projected rulemakings, existing regulations,
and completed actions of DHS and its components. The regulatory agenda
indicates that the Coast Guard expects to update its Maritime Transportation Security
Act (MTSA) regulations by incorporating requirements from legislation implemented
since the original publication of MTSA. The Coast Guard anticipates issuing a “MTSA II”
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) by September 2012.

Congressional Research Service Issues Chemical Security Report

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) recently published its latest report on the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program. The report reviews the CFATS legislation offered in the 112th Congress, discusses several ongoing policy issues related to CFATS and identifies various policy options for Congress to consider.

Encoding Error May Cause TWICs to be Rejected by Electronic Readers

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced that an encoding error on some 26,000 Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWICs) may result in those TWICs being rejected by electronic TWIC readers. The error – which only affects cards issued prior to April 5, 2011 – resulted from a code number being incorrectly embedded on the card’s microchip.

TSA has published a list of TWIC serial numbers that may have the encoding error and will replace affected cards free of charge. TSA has also published a FAQ with further instructions on obtaining a replacement TWIC.

GAO Report: Coast Guard Inspections at Offshore Energy Facilities

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report identifying gaps in the Coast Guard’s security inspection policies and procedures at offshore facilities regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) as well as at deepwater ports.

For instance, the GAO found that though Coast Guard guidance indicates it should conduct security inspections at Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) facilities annually, the agency only conducted annual inspections at approximately one-third of these facilities from 2008 to 2010. Additionally, while the Coast Guard has taken actions to ensure the security of deepwater ports, including developing and reviewing security plans for these sites, Coast Guard guidance does not call for annual security inspections at these sites. The GAO learned that the Coast Guard had in fact only conducted one security inspection at a deepwater port from 2008 to 2010.

The GAO found that the Coast Guard’s database for storing inspection data has certain limitations that make it difficult to analyze whether required inspections were conducted. It recommends that the Coast Guard make adjustments to ensure that the information entered into its database is more useful and that the Coast Guard develops specific policies and/or guidance to ensure that annual security inspections are conducted at these locations.