28 December 2011
DHS Secret Meet on Domestic Threats
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81516-81517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33196]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[Docket No. DHS-2011-0111]
Homeland Security Advisory Council
AGENCY: The Office of Policy, DHS.
ACTION: Closed Federal Advisory Committee Meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) will meet on
January 9, 2012, in Arlington, Virginia. The meeting will be closed to
the public. A notice of the meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory
Council is being published in the Federal Register on December 27,
2011, 14 days prior to the meeting due to holiday scheduling conflicts.
Although the meeting notice will be published in the Federal Register
late, we've extended public comment until one day prior to the meeting.
DATES: The HSAC will meet on Monday, January 9, 2012, from 8:50 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. EST.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in Town Hall (1) at the
Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, (East
Building), Arlington, VA 22202. Written comments must be submitted and
received by January 8, 2012. Comments must be identified by Docket No.
DHS 2011-0111 and may be submitted by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Email: HSAC@dhs.gov. Include docket number in the subject
line of the message.
Fax: (202) 282-9207
Mail: Homeland Security Advisory Council, Department of
Homeland Security, Mailstop 0450, 245 Murray Lane SW., Washington, DC
20528.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the words
``Department of Homeland Security'' and DHS-2011-0111, the docket
number for this action. Comments received will be posted without
alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received by the DHS Homeland Security Advisory Council, go to
http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: HSAC Staff at hsac@dhs.gov or (202)
447-3135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. The HSAC provides
independent, objective advice and recommendations for the consideration
of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on matters
related to homeland security. The Council is comprised of leaders of
local law enforcement, first responders, state and local government,
the private sector, and academia.
The HSAC will meet for the purpose of receiving sensitive
operational information from senior DHS leadership. The meeting will
address threats to our homeland security, border security, examine U.S.
Coast Guard counterterrorism efforts; provide an operational update of
the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Frequent Traveler
Program; examine evolving threats in cyber security; and provide
information on the threat of an electromagnetic pulse attack and its
associated vulnerabilities.
Summary of the Agenda
Sensitive Threat Briefings against the Homeland.
Briefing on Strategic Implementation Plan to Counter Violent
Extremism Domestically.
Update on Border Security and Evolving Threats.
US Coast Guard, Update on Counterterrorism Efforts Around the
World.
TSA Frequent Travelers Program Operational Update.
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Threat--Lessons Learned and Areas of
Vulnerability, and
Evolving Threats in Cyber Security.
Basis for Closure: In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, it has been determined that the meeting
requires closure as the premature disclosure of the information would
not be in the public interest.
The HSAC will receive briefings on domestic and international
threats to the homeland from DHS Intelligence and Analysis and other
senior leadership, and a briefing on threats at the Southwest Border
and joint operations with Mexican law enforcement from U.S. Customs and
Border Protection. That material, and a discussion of it, entails
information the premature disclosure of which would not be in the
public interest. Specifically, there will be material presented
regarding the latest viable threats against the United States, and how
DHS and other Federal agencies plan to address those threats. Under 5
U.S.C. 552b(c)(7)(E)&(F), disclosure of that information could reveal
investigative techniques and procedures not generally available to the
public, allowing those with interests against the United States to
circumvent the law, thereby endangering the life or physical safety of
law enforcement personnel. Additionally, under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B),
disclosure of these techniques and procedures could frustrate the
successful implementation of protective measures designed to keep our
country safe.
The DHS Office of Counterterrorism will present a briefing on the
Department's implementation plan to counter domestic violent extremism.
Providing this information to the public would provide terrorists with
a road map regarding the Department's plan to counter their actions,
and thus, allow them to take different actions to avoid
counterterrorism efforts. Under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(7)(E)&(F), disclosure
of that information could endanger the life or physical safety of law
enforcement personnel. Additionally, under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B),
disclosure of this plan could frustrate the successful implementation
of measures designed to counter terrorist acts.
The members of the HSAC will receive a briefing on the
Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) frequent travelers
program that will include lessons learned, the enhanced security the
new program provides, and screening techniques associated with this
program. The briefing will include Sensitive Security Information
within the meaning of 49 U.S.C. Sec. 114 and 49 C.F.R. part 1520,
which requires nondisclosure of security activities if disclosure would
be detrimental to the security of transportation. DHS has determined
that public disclosure of this information would significantly
compromise the operational security of the nation's transportation
system if disclosed, by exposing the existing vulnerabilities and the
physical limitations of the program. As a result, this briefing must be
closed under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(3)(A).
[[Page 81517]]
The members will also receive a briefing on recent Cyber attacks
and the potential threat of an electromagnetic pulse attack. Both will
include lessons learned and potential vulnerabilities of infrastructure
assets, as well as potential methods to improve the Federal response to
a cyber or electromagnetic pulse attack. Disclosure of this information
would be a road map to those who wish to attack our infrastructure, and
hence, would certainly frustrate the successful implementation of
preventive and counter measures to protect our cyber and physical
infrastructure. Therefore, this portion of the meeting is required to
be closed under U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B). Accordingly, this meeting will be
closed to the public.
Dated: December 21, 2011.
Becca Sharp,
Executive Director, Homeland Security Advisory Council, DHS.
[FR Doc. 2011-33196 Filed 12-27-11; 8:45 am]
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