Meeting Notice for National Maritime Security Advisory Committee posted in Federal Register

The following notice will be posted in the Federal Register, vol. 78, no. 52, on Monday March 18, 2013:

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) will meet on April 2-3, 2013 in Washington, DC to discuss various issues relating to national maritime security. This meeting will be open to the public.

DATES: The Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 from 9:00 a.m.to 4:00 p.m. and Wednesday, April 3, 2013 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.This meeting may close early if all business is finished. All written material and requests to make oral presentations should reach the CoastGuard on or before March 29, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet in the Oklahoma Room at the Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave SE., Washington, DC 20590. Seating is very limited. Members of the public wishing to attend should register with Mr. Ryan Owens, Alternate Designated Federal Official (ADFO) of NMSAC, telephone 202-372-1108 or

ryan.f.owens@uscg.mil no later than March 25, 2013. Additionally, this meeting will be broadcasted via a web enabled interactive online format and teleconference line.

    To participate via teleconference, dial 866-810-4853, the pass code to join is 9760138. Additionally, if you would like to participate in this meeting via the online web format, please log onto

https://connect.hsin.gov/r11254182 and follow the online instructions to register for this meeting.

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section as soon as possible.

    To facilitate public participation, we are inviting public comment on the issues to be considered by the Committee as listed in the ``Agenda'' section below. You may submit written comments no later than March 29, 2013. Identify your comments by docket number [USCG-2012-0797] using one of the following methods:

     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

     Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. We encourage use of electronic submissions because security screening may delay delivery of

mail.

     Fax: (202) 493-2251.

     Hand Delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the words``Department of Homeland Security'' and docket number [USCG-2012-0797].

All submissions received will be posted without alteration at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You may review a Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008 issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316)

Day 1 

    The agenda for the Committee meeting is as follows:

    (1) Cyber Security Executive Order. On February 12, 2013, President  Barack Obama signed 

an Executive Order \1\ to strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure by increasing 

information sharing and by jointly developing and implementing a framework of cybersecurity 

practices with our industry partners. NMSAC will be engaged to discuss and hear public 

comment on the Executive Order and begin initial work in developing a framework for the 

maritime community.

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    \1\ The Executive Order (not numbered) is available for viewing online at the White House's 

Web site:

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/executive-order-improving-critical-

infrastructure-cybersecurity.

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    (2) Presidential Policy Directive-21.\2\ On February 12, 2013, the White House Office of the 

Press Secretary published a Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) on critical infrastructure 

security and resilience. PPD-21 updates the national approach from Homeland Security 

Presidential Directive-7 (issued in 2003) to adjust to the new risk environment, understand

 key lessons learned, and drive toward enhanced capabilities. NMSAC will be engaged to 

discuss and hear public comment on PPD-21 and its impacts on the maritime community.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

    \2\ Presidential Policy Directive-21 is available for viewing online at the White House's 

Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-

critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil.

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    (3) Maritime Domain Awareness and Information Sharing. NMSAC will receive a brief on, 

and will engage in a discussion on, the efforts of the Coast Guard and DHS to implement 

Maritime Domain Awareness and Information Sharing.

    (4) National Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative (NSI). NMSAC will receive a brief, 

hear public comments and provide recommendations, on the NSI program.

    (5) Public Comment Period. 

Day 2 

    (1) Radiation Portal Monitoring. NMSAC will continue its discussion of the Radiation Portal 

Monitoring Program.

    (2) Port Security Grant Program. NMSAC will discuss the Port Security Grant Program, 

hear public comments and provide recommendations to the Coast Guard on the future 

implementation of the program.

    (3) Public comment period. 

Dated: March 11, 2013.

R.F. Owens,

U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Port and Facility Compliance, Deputy 

Designated Federal Official.

John Bennett's MPS Blog Post About NMSAC Meeting Jan. 18, 2012

My good friend and fellow blogger, John Bennett, was present via phone at the meeting of the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee held in Washington DC Jan. 18-19, 2012. He has an excellent report of the meeting on his blog at Maritime Protective Services, at http://mpsint.com/2012/01/20/results-of-the-january-2012-nmsac-meeting-%E2%80%93-part-i/. Members of the MTSA community should check this blog on a regular basis and particularly read all posts by John on the NMSAC meeting. Below is the portion concerning MTSA 2, which I am reproducing below. This update from the Coast Guard contains the same ominous language regarding screening and NVIC 06-04 that I have noted in earlier posts.

“Updating the MTSA Regulations

The NMSAC Executive Director was then asked to address to long-gestating “MTSA II” regulatory update of the original regulations promulgated to implement the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. He started with the premise that the Administrative Procedure Act, which lays out the hoops through which the Government has to jump to produce regulations, limits the detail in which regulatory proposals can be disclosed outside formal rulemaking channels. The plan is to incorporate into the existing regulations lessons learned through experience with the current regulations, including numerous Policy Advisory Council decisions and screening standards from Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 06-04, as well as new provisions implementing the additional requirements of the SAFE Port Act. This would not be a complete rewrite of the existing regulations.

The Coast Guard had hoped to have the NPRM out last summer, but this was not to be. The proposal needs internal DHS scrutiny and then OMB review before it can be published. The Coast Guard will have several public meetings on the proposal once it’s published. As a constantly moving target, these are hard to budget for. Asked about the impact of pending SAFE Port Act legislation, he replied that, as currently drafted, it had little impact on the Coast Guard. Later, during the public comment period, my good friend and fellow blogger, Laurie Thomas asked if MTSA II would reconcile earlier MARAD-approved Facility Security Officer training with the requirements contained in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 [in Section 821]. Captain Kiefer replied that this would be addressed in a separate rulemaking, probably in 2013, although the Coast Guard might put out an interim policy sooner. If so, that would be run by NMSAC first. Laurie also noted that NVIC 06-04 set a very high standard for screening. She asked if the Coast Guard had conducted anysurvey of industry screening practices and suggested, based on experience gained while training Facility Security Officers, that there would be substantial industry push back if the Coast Guard attempted to make the voluntary standards of the NVIC compulsory. Captain Kiefer thanked her for providing that information about the industry. A NMSAC member proposed that the Committee come up with suggestions for inclusion in the rulemaking, rather than waiting for USCG taskings on specific issues.”

Notice of NMSAC Meeting, Jan. 18-19

In the Monday, January 9, 2012 Federal Register, the Coast Guard posted a meeting notice for the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee. This notice may be found in its entirety at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-01-09/pdf/2012-105.pdf. The Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday, January 19, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This meeting will be broadcasted via a web enabled interactive online format and teleconference. To participate via teleconference, dial (866) 717–0091, the pass code to join is 3038389#. Additionally, if you would like to participate in this meeting via the online web format, please log onto https://connect.hsin.gov/r11254182 and follow the online instructions to register for this meeting.

Agenda of Meeting

Day 1

The agenda for the Committee meeting is as follows:

(1) Maritime Domain Awareness and Information Sharing. The Committee will hold a discussion and will be tasked with developing guidelines and recommendations for the Coast Guard in enhancing information sharing between the maritime industry and the Federal Government;

(2) Maritime Transportation Security Act/Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Harmonization. The Committee will receive a brief and offer recommendations on the harmonization efforts of the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security for these two regulatory programs;

(3) Transportation Worker Identification Credential. The TWIC working group will provide an update on the implementation of the TWIC program from the industry perspective. The Transportation Security Administration will also provide an update on the development of TWIC readers;

(4) Public comment period.

Day 2

(1) Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA). The Committee will be briefed on upcoming regulatory actions associated with updates to MTSA;

(2) Global Supply Chain Security Initiative. Per the SAFE Port Act (Pub.L. 109–347) NMSAC continues to be consulted in regards to the Global Supply Chain Security Initiative. The Committee will receive an update on this initiative;

(3) Requirements for vessel guards while in port. NMSAC will review and provide comment on requirements for vessels to post or contract for guards while in US ports;

(4) Underwater Terrorism Preparedness Program. NMSAC will receive a brief on the Coast Guard Underwater Terrorism Preparedness Program;

(5) Public comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ryan Owens, ADFO of NMSAC, 2100 2nd Street SW., Stop 7581, Washington, DC 20593–7581; telephone (202) 372–1108 or email ryan.f.owens@uscg.mil. If you have any questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone (202)366–9826.

NMSAC Meeting Nov. 15

The Coast Guard posted a notice about the next NMSAC meeting in today’s Oct. 26 Federal Register, at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-10-26/pdf/2011-27724.pdf.

“The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) will meet via teleconference on November 15, 2011 to discuss the results of a working group tasked with reviewing the Draft Certain Dangerous Cargo (CDC) Security Strategy. This meeting will be open to the public.The Committee will meet via telephone conference, on November 15, 2011. As there are only 100 teleconference lines, public participation will be on a first come basis. To participate via teleconference, please contact Mr. Ryan Owens, Alternate Designated Federal Officer (ADFO) of NMSAC, 2100 2nd Street, SW., Stop 7581, Washington, DC 20593–7581; telephone 202–372–1108 or e-mail ryan.f.owens@uscg.mil.”

“Agenda of Meeting

As a result of the report issued by NMSAC at its April 2011 meeting and public listening sessions held by the Coast Guard in August 2011, the Coast Guard has developed a Certain Dangerous Cargo (CDC) Security Strategy. A NMSAC working group was created to review the following five goals of the strategy. The committee will review the information presented on each issue, deliberate on any recommendations presented in the Work Group reports, and formulate the recommendations for the Department’s consideration.

a. Provide to internal and external stakeholders real-time national, regional, and local awareness of the risk of intentional attacks on the CDC Marine Transportation System.

b. Consistently assess vulnerability to threats of intentional attacks on the CDC Marine Transportation System and mitigate the vulnerability to an acceptable level.

c. Dynamically assess the potential consequences of an intentional attack on the CDC Marine Transportation System and capably mitigate, through coordinated response, the impact of a successful attack.

d. Lead the development of national, regional, and local resiliency/recovery capability from successful attacks on the CDC Marine Transportation System.

e. Establish the internal organization and processes, and external stakeholder relationships, to manage the national maritime CDC security program to an acceptable risk level.”

To facilitate public participation, the Coast Guard is inviting public comment on the issues to be considered by the committee as listed in the ‘‘Agenda’’. Persons may submit written materials and requests to make oral presentations no later than November 7, 2011, and identified by docket number[USCG–2011–0975] by the methods identified in the Federal Register notice.