Review - TSA Sends HMI Threat Assessment ICR to OMB

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received an extension without change of a currently approved collection from the DHS’ Transportation Security Administration for their “Security Threat Assessment for Individuals Applying for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement for a Commercial Driver's License” information collection request (ICR). The 30-day ICR notice was published earlier this week in the Federal Register (91 FR 53889-53890). The 60-day ICR notice was published on May 6th, 2026. 

The OMB reports that the following burden estimate data was provided to them by the TSA: 

Public Comments  

TSA and OIRA are soliciting public comments on the data being provided in the 30-day ICR notice that is currently being reviewed by OIRA. Comments may be submitted by going to OIRA’s Agency Submission page for this ICR and clicking on the “COMMENT” button near the top of the page. Comments should be submitted by September 21st, 2026. 

Commentary  

While not a function of the information collection process, the generally declining number of applicants and renewal requests reported by TSA for these security threat assessments for CDL hazardous materials indorsements presages an increasing problem for the chemical industry. The chemical industry can ill afford to deal with a declining number of truck drivers that are legally qualified to haul hazardous material loads. Industry is going to have to become more actively involved in recruiting truck drivers in general and HMI qualified drivers in particular. 

OMB Approves ChemLock ICR – 8-4-26

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a new information collection request (ICR) from CISA for the “ChemLock Program”. The 60-day ICR notice was published on December 31st, 2024, and the 30-day ICR notice was published on June 2nd, 2026. This approved ICR now authorizes CISA to collect information in support of its voluntary chemical facility security program, ChemLock. 

The ICR reporting notice explains that:  

“CISA serves as Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA) for the Chemical Sector. CISA has established ChemLock, which is [a] voluntary program for facilities that possess dangerous chemicals. The information will support CISA’s Office of Chemical Security in providing resources tailored to the specific facilities requesting services under the ChemLock program.” 

OMB Approves NOAA Space-Based Data Collection ICR Revision

 Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved an information collection request (ICR) revision from DOC’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on “NOAA Space-Based Data Collection System (DCS) Agreements”. The 60-day ICR notice was published on December 22nd, 2025. The 30-day ICR notice was published on March 26th, 2026. 

The table below shows the change in the burden estimate for this ICR 

According to the ICR Notice: 

“The Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite [link added] (POES) data collection system (DCS), also known as the Argos system, is being removed from this collection as it is no longer administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).” 

Review - TSA Publishes Initial Insider Threat Reporting 60-day ICR Notice

Today, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published a 60-day information collection request (ICR) in the Federal Register (91 FR 21831-21832) on “Insider Threat Incident Reporting Tool”. The Reporting Tool will support the TSA Insider Threat Program. TSA is proposing an online tool to collect this information. 

The table below provides the initial burden estimate for this ICR. 

Public Comments 

The TSA is soliciting public comments on this ICR. Comments may be submitted by email to TSAPRA@tsa.dhs.gov. Comments should be submitted by June 22nd, 2026. 

For more information on this ICR, see my artilce at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/tsa-publishes-initial-insider-threat - subscription required. 

Review - TSA Publishes Surface Cybersecurity 60-day ICR Revision Notice

 Today the Transportation Security Administration published a 60-day information collection request (ICR) revision notice in the Federal Register (91 FR 20475-20477) for their “Cybersecurity Measures for Surface Modes” ICR. The revision deals with the new reporting requirements for the appointment of a primary or alternate Cybersecurity Coordinator who is not a US citizen. 

The table below shows the proposed and existing burden estimates for this ICR. Today’s notice does not report the number of annual responses expected for the revised ICR. 

Public Comments  

TSA is soliciting public comments on this ICR revision. Comments may be emailed to TSAPRA@tsa.dhs.gov. Comments should be sent by June 15th, 2026. 

For more information on this ICR, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/tsa-publishes-surface-cybersecurity - subscription required. 

Review – FAA Publishes cUAS Coordination ICR Notice – 2-13-26

On February 13^th, 2026, the DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a new information collection request notice in the Federal Register (91 FR 6976-6977) on “FAA Request Form for CUAS Coordination”. The proposed collection would support requirements for federal agencies and State, local, and tribal and territorial law enforcement agencies to coordinate with the FAA before conducting counter UAS operations. The notice reports that the FAA expects 100 coordination requests annually with a 100-hour annual burden estimate.

The notice explains that:

“Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Attorney General, the Secretary of Energy, State Local, Tribal, and Territorial Law Enforcement (SLTT) must coordinate with the Secretary of Transportation for certain Title 18 protections under 10 U.S.C. 130i, 6 U.S.C. 124n, and 50 U.S.C. 2661 authorities respectively. This data collection supports these laws.”

Public Comments

The FAA is soliciting public comments on this ICR notice. Comments may be submitted via the ‘Submit Public Comment’ button at the top of this Federal Register page. Comments should be submitted by March 3^rd, 2026.

 

For more details this ICR notice, including discussion of the administrative problems with this ICR notice, as well as a discussion of the cUAS coordination requirements of 6 USC 124n, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/faa-publishes-cuas-coordination-icr - subscription requirements.

OMB Declines Generic CDC Traveler Screening ICR Approval

 Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had disapproved an information collection request (ICR) from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on “[NCZEID] Traveler Risk Assessment and Management Activities During Disease Outbreaks”. The 60-day ICR notice was published on June 16^th, 2025. The 30-day ICR notice was published on October 2^nd, 2025.

According to the discussion in the 60-day ICR notice:

“Disease outbreaks do not occur at regular intervals, which makes it difficult to estimate how often information collection will be necessary. The purpose of this Generic ICR is to aid in CDC's responsibility to ensure the successful implementation of traveler management in an efficient and timely manner. DGMH intends use this Generic ICR in the event of a disease outbreak that would necessitate the public health assessment and/or monitoring of travelers arriving in the U.S. Although it is possible to anticipate some broad categories of information that would need to be collected, (e.g., potential exposures, symptoms, contact information, etc.), each response is unique and requires flexibility in terms of the specific information collection tool in each instance. Data collection instruments and methods must be rapidly created and implemented to direct appropriate public health action. Often specific questions will change, or new questions will evolve with each disease outbreak.”

In disapproving the proposed generic ICR, OIRA explained:

“Generics are generally voluntary, low-burden (based on a consideration of total burden, total respondents, or burden per respondent), and uncontroversial, thus the collections proposed do not seem appropriate for a generic clearance. CDC is welcome to continue to seek emergency clearance as needed during disease outbreaks.”

I suspect that the disapproval of this ICR is more a response to the problems associated with the management of the COVID epidemic than purely a purely ICR program management decision. While the COVID response should inform a more effective response to the next pandemic, this programmatic response from OIRA rejects that intent.

FEMA Publishes CBRNResponder Network 60-day ICR Notice

Today FEMA published a 60-day information collection request (ICR) notice in the Federal Register (91 FR 237-6238) for a new ICR for “CBRNResponder Network”, collections that are already in use without an approved ICR number. According to the FEMA website: “CBRNResponder is a secure platform for chemical, biological or radioactive/nuclear (CBRN) incident data sharing and multi-hazard event management. It serves as a hub and one-stop shop for all-hazards planning, preparedness, operational tools and resources.” The ICR will support three FEMA forms:

FEMA Form FF-104-FY-24-125, New Users Request for an Account,

FEMA Form FF-104-FY-24-124, New User Request for an Organization, and

FEMA Form FF-104-FY-24-126, Users Submitting Hazard Specific Data.

NOTE: Links to the forms will be available when FEMA submits the 30-day ICR notice to OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

The table below shows the burden estimate for this new ICR:

The CBRNResponder Network website consists of a common set pages for all CBRN responders and separate resources specifically for ChemResponders, BioResponders, RadResponders, and the Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC). Most of the resources on these pages are only fully accessible to registered responders.

FEMA is soliciting comments on this burden estimate. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov: Docket # FEMA-2024-0032). Comments should be submitted by April 13^th, 2026.

PHMSA Publishes 60-day Renewal Notice for 7 Hazmat ICRs

Yesterday DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a 60-day information collection request (ICR) renewal notice in the Federal Register (91 FR 4172-4178) for seven hazardous materials ICRs. According to the notice: “PHMSA has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on changes in proposed or final rules published since the information collections were last approved.”

The seven ICRs include:

Inspection and Testing of Portable Tanks and Intermediate Bulk Containers (2137-0018),

Hazardous Materials Incident Reports (2137-0039),

Rail Carrier and Tank Car Tanks Requirements, Rail Tank Car Tanks—Transportation of Hazardous Materials by Rail (2137-0559),

Testing Requirements for Non-Bulk Packaging (2137-0572),

Hazardous Materials Public Sector Training and Planning Grants (2137-0586),

Cargo Tank Motor Vehicles in Liquefied Compressed Gas Service (2137-0595), and

Inspection and Testing of Meter Provers (2137-0620).

NOTE: The first link for each ICR is for the description of the collection in yesterday’s notice. The last link is to the currently approved ICR record.

The table below shows the burden estimate for both this renewal notice and the currently approved ICR.

 

There is no explanation for the large change in the burden estimates for 2137-0559 in yesterday’s notice. Comparing the detailed burden information in the notice with the Supporting Document that PHMSA provided to OIRA for the current ICR, there are six information collections missing from the notice:

• Hazardous Materials Train Consist Additional Information (Class I, II, III Railroads) - Section 174.26 (131,042 responses and 10,876 hrs),

• Notification of Hazardous Materials Accidents or Incidents - Class I, II, II Railroad - Section 174.26 (491 responses and 122.75 hrs),

• Creation of Test Records for Emergency System Notification Test (Class I, II, III) – Section (658 responses and 1438 hrs),

• Retention of Test Records for Emergency System Notification Test – Section 174.28(b) (758 responses and 63 hrs),

• Creation of Class III alternative emergency response information plan – Section (388 responses and 1,552 hrs), and

• Retention of Class III alternative emergency response information plan (Retention Only) – Section (388 responses and 32 hrs).

These may have been moved to new ICR. We will be able to tell for sure when PHMSA submits the renewal request to OIRA after the 30-day ICR notice is published.

PHMSA is soliciting public comments on this ICR renewal. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov; Docket #PHMSA-2026-0199). Comments should be submitted by March 31^st, 2026.

Review – OMB Approves PHMSA Gas Release Reporting ICR Revision

Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved an information collection request (ICR) revision from the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for “Incident Reports for Natural Gas Pipeline Operators”. The 60-day ICR notice was published on December 17^th, 2020. The 30-day ICR notice was published on August 13th, 2025. The revision relates to a proposed change to the instructions for Form PHMSA F 7100.2, Incident Report – Gas Transmission, Gas Gathering, And Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities, clarifying the reporting requirements for discharges from pressure relief devices.

The table below shows the changes in the burden estimate that result from those changes in instructions.

NOTE the ‘New Version’ data comes from the Supporting Document provided to OIRA.

 

For more information on the burden estimate and changes in instructions, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/omb-approves-phmsa-gas-release-reporting - subscription required.