82 FR 9599 - Notice and Request for Comments

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 24 (February 7, 2017)

Page Range		9599-9600
FR Document		2017-02461

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the National Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting the general public or other Federal agencies to comment on a proposed addition to its confidentiality pledge, presented on surveys conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). These revisions are required by the passage and implementation of provisions of the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (H.R. 2029, Division N, Title II, Subtitle B, Sec. 223), which permit and require the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide Federal civilian agencies' information technology systems with cybersecurity protection for their Internet traffic. Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) The proposed confidentiality pledge's fit for use by NCSES, and (b) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the pledge.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 24 (Tuesday, February 7, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9599-9600]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02461]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice and Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the National Science Foundation (NSF) is 
inviting the general public or other Federal agencies to comment on a 
proposed addition to its confidentiality pledge, presented on surveys 
conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
(NCSES). These revisions are required by the passage and implementation 
of provisions of the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 
(H.R. 2029, Division N, Title II, Subtitle B, Sec. 223), which permit 
and require the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 
to provide Federal civilian agencies' information technology systems 
with cybersecurity protection for their Internet traffic.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) The proposed confidentiality 
pledge's fit for use by NCSES, and (b) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the pledge.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by April 10, 
2017 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address 
below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the information collection and 
requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
should be addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, 
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. 1265, Arlington, VA 
22230, or by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:  Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports 
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-7556; or 
send email to [email protected]. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal 
holidays).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Federal statistics provide key information that the Nation uses to 
measure its performance and make informed choices about budgets, 
employment, health, investments, taxes, and a host of other significant 
topics. The overwhelming majority of Federal surveys are conducted on a 
voluntary basis. Respondents, ranging from businesses to households to 
institutions, may choose whether to provide the requested information. 
Many of the most valuable Federal statistics come from surveys that ask 
for highly sensitive information such as proprietary business data from 
companies or particularly personal information or practices from 
individuals. Strong and trusted confidentiality and exclusively 
statistical use pledges under the CIPSEA and similar statistical 
confidentiality pledges are effective and necessary in honoring the 
trust that businesses, individuals, and institutions, by their 
responses, place in statistical agencies.
    Under the CIPSEA and similar statistical confidentiality protection 
statutes, many Federal statistical agencies make statutory pledges that 
the information respondents provide will be seen only by statistical 
agency personnel or their sworn agents, and will be used only for 
statistical purposes. The CIPSEA and similar statutes protect the 
confidentiality of information that agencies collect solely for 
statistical purposes and under a pledge of confidentiality. These Acts 
protect such statistical information from administrative, law 
enforcement, taxation, regulatory, or any other non-statistical use and 
immunize the information submitted to statistical agencies from many 
legal processes. Moreover, statutes like the CIPSEA carry criminal 
penalties of a Class E felony (fines up to $250,000, or up to five 
years in prison, or both) for conviction of a knowing and willful 
unauthorized disclosure of covered information.
    As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
signed on December 17, 2015, the Congress enacted the Federal 
Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (H.R. 2029, Division N, Title II, 
Subtitle B, Sec. 223). This Act, among other provisions, requires the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to provide Federal civilian agencies' 
information technology systems with cybersecurity protection for their 
Internet traffic. The DHS cybersecurity program's objective is to 
protect Federal civilian information systems from malicious malware 
attacks. The Federal statistical system's objective is to ensure that 
the DHS Secretary performs those essential duties in a manner that 
honors the Government's statutory promises to the public to protect 
their confidential data. Given that the DHS is not a Federal 
statistical agency, both DHS and the Federal statistical system have 
been successfully engaged in finding a way to balance both objectives 
and achieve these mutually reinforcing objectives.
    As required by passage of the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act 
of 2015, the Federal statistical community will implement DHS' 
cybersecurity protection program, called Einstein.
    The technology currently used to provide this protection against 
cyber malware electronically searches Internet traffic in and out of 
Federal civilian

[[Page 9600]]

agencies in real time for malware signatures. When such a signature is 
found, the Internet packets that contain the malware signature are 
shunted aside for further inspection by DHS personnel. Because it is 
possible that such packets entering or leaving a statistical agency's 
information technology system may contain confidential statistical 
data, statistical agencies can no longer promise their respondents that 
their responses will be seen only by statistical agency personnel or 
their sworn agents. However, they can promise, in accordance with 
provisions of the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, that 
such monitoring can be used only to protect information and information 
systems from cybersecurity risks, thereby, in effect, providing 
stronger protection to the security and integrity of the respondents' 
submissions.
    Accordingly, DHS and Federal statistical agencies have developed a 
Memorandum of Agreement for the installation of Einstein cybersecurity 
protection technology to monitor their Internet traffic.
    In a separate Federal Register Notice, NSF notified the public that 
the confidentiality pledge for NCSES surveys was being revised, 
effective immediately. Table 1 contains a listing of the current 
numbers and information collection titles for those NSF programs whose 
confidentiality pledges will change to reflect the statutory 
implementation of DHS' Einstein monitoring for cybersecurity protection 
purposes. For the Information Collections listed in the table below, 
NSF statistical confidentiality pledges will be modified to include the 
following sentence, ``Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 
2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through 
screening of the systems that transmit your data.''

   Table 1--Current PRA OMB Numbers, Expiration Dates, and Information
                Collection Titles Included in This Notice
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Information collection
       OMB Control No.        Expiration date            title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3145-0101...................  08/31/2018.....  Survey of Science and
                                                Engineering Research
                                                Facilities (Facilities).
3145-0019...................  05/31/2018.....  Survey of Earned
                                                Doctorates.
3145-0020...................  08/31/2018.....  Survey of Doctorate
                                                Recipients.
3145-0100...................  09/30/2019.....  Higher Education R&D
                                                Survey.
3145-0141 *.................  05/31/2018.....  National Survey of
                                                College Graduates.
3145-0174...................  07/31/2019.....  Generic Clearance of
                                                Survey Improvement
                                                Projects.
3145-0235...................  06/30/2017.....  Early Career Doctorates
                                                Survey.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* This information collection was also named in a Federal Register
  Notice from the U.S. Census Bureau (81 FR 94321), since that agency
  collects data on NSF's behalf.


    Dated: February 2, 2017.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2017-02461 Filed 2-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 24 / Tuesday, February 7, 2017 / Notices 9599

TABLE 1—CURRENT PRA OMB NUMBERS, EXPIRATION DATES, AND INFORMATION COLLECTION TITLES INCLUDED IN THIS
NOTICE
OMB Control No. Expiration date Information collection title

3145–0101 ............................................... 08/31/2018 Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities.
3145–0019 * ............................................. 05/31/2018 Survey of Earned Doctorates.
3145–0020 ............................................... 08/31/2018 Survey of Doctorate Recipients.
3145–0100 * ............................................. 09/30/2019 Higher Education R&D Survey.
3145–0141 ** ........................................... 05/31/2018 National Survey of College Graduates.
3145–0174 * ............................................. 07/31/2019 Generic Clearance of Survey Improvement Projects . . .
3145–0235 ............................................... 06/30/2017 Early Career Doctorates Survey.
* Indicates information collections that are expected to be in the field during the period covered by the 6-month emergency clearance.
** This information collection was also named in a Federal Register Notice from the U.S. Census Bureau (81 FR 94321), since that agency
collects data on NSF’s behalf.

Dated: February 2, 2017. Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. statutes protect the confidentiality of
Suzanne H. Plimpton, 1265, Arlington, VA 22230, or by email information that agencies collect solely
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science to splimpto@nsf.gov. for statistical purposes and under a
Foundation. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: pledge of confidentiality. These Acts
[FR Doc. 2017–02460 Filed 2–6–17; 8:45 am] Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance protect such statistical information from
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P Officer, National Science Foundation, administrative, law enforcement,
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265, taxation, regulatory, or any other non-
Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone statistical use and immunize the
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (703) 292–7556; or send email to information submitted to statistical
splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use agencies from many legal processes.
Notice and Request for Comments a telecommunications device for the Moreover, statutes like the CIPSEA carry
National Science Foundation.
AGENCY: deaf (TDD) may call the Federal criminal penalties of a Class E felony
Notice and request for
ACTION: Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– (fines up to $250,000, or up to five years
comments. 800–877–8339, which is accessible 24 in prison, or both) for conviction of a
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a knowing and willful unauthorized
SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork year (including Federal holidays). disclosure of covered information.
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104– SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of the Consolidated
13 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the National Federal statistics provide key Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016
Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting information that the Nation uses to signed on December 17, 2015, the
the general public or other Federal measure its performance and make Congress enacted the Federal
agencies to comment on a proposed informed choices about budgets, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015
addition to its confidentiality pledge, employment, health, investments, taxes, (H.R. 2029, Division N, Title II, Subtitle
presented on surveys conducted by the and a host of other significant topics. B, Sec. 223). This Act, among other
National Center for Science and The overwhelming majority of Federal provisions, requires the Secretary of
Engineering Statistics (NCSES). These surveys are conducted on a voluntary Homeland Security to provide Federal
revisions are required by the passage basis. Respondents, ranging from civilian agencies’ information
and implementation of provisions of the businesses to households to institutions, technology systems with cybersecurity
Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act may choose whether to provide the protection for their Internet traffic. The
of 2015 (H.R. 2029, Division N, Title II, requested information. Many of the DHS cybersecurity program’s objective
Subtitle B, Sec. 223), which permit and most valuable Federal statistics come is to protect Federal civilian information
require the Secretary for the Department from surveys that ask for highly systems from malicious malware
of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide sensitive information such as attacks. The Federal statistical system’s
Federal civilian agencies’ information proprietary business data from objective is to ensure that the DHS
technology systems with cybersecurity companies or particularly personal Secretary performs those essential
protection for their Internet traffic. information or practices from duties in a manner that honors the
Comments: Comments are invited on: individuals. Strong and trusted Government’s statutory promises to the
(a) The proposed confidentiality confidentiality and exclusively public to protect their confidential data.
pledge’s fit for use by NCSES, and (b) statistical use pledges under the CIPSEA Given that the DHS is not a Federal
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and and similar statistical confidentiality statistical agency, both DHS and the
clarity of the pledge. pledges are effective and necessary in Federal statistical system have been
DATES: Written comments on this notice honoring the trust that businesses, successfully engaged in finding a way to
must be received by April 10, 2017 to individuals, and institutions, by their balance both objectives and achieve
be assured consideration. Comments responses, place in statistical agencies. these mutually reinforcing objectives.
received after that date will be Under the CIPSEA and similar As required by passage of the Federal
considered to the extent practicable. statistical confidentiality protection Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of
Send comments to address below. 2015, the Federal statistical community
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

statutes, many Federal statistical
ADDRESSES: Written comments agencies make statutory pledges that the will implement DHS’ cybersecurity
regarding the information collection and information respondents provide will be protection program, called Einstein.
requests for copies of the proposed seen only by statistical agency The technology currently used to
information collection request should be personnel or their sworn agents, and provide this protection against cyber
addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports will be used only for statistical malware electronically searches Internet
Clearance Officer, National Science purposes. The CIPSEA and similar traffic in and out of Federal civilian

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9600 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 24 / Tuesday, February 7, 2017 / Notices

agencies in real time for malware of 2015, that such monitoring can be immediately. Table 1 contains a listing
signatures. When such a signature is used only to protect information and of the current numbers and information
found, the Internet packets that contain information systems from cybersecurity collection titles for those NSF programs
the malware signature are shunted aside risks, thereby, in effect, providing whose confidentiality pledges will
for further inspection by DHS stronger protection to the security and change to reflect the statutory
personnel. Because it is possible that integrity of the respondents’ implementation of DHS’ Einstein
such packets entering or leaving a submissions. monitoring for cybersecurity protection
statistical agency’s information Accordingly, DHS and Federal purposes. For the Information
technology system may contain statistical agencies have developed a Collections listed in the table below,
confidential statistical data, statistical Memorandum of Agreement for the NSF statistical confidentiality pledges
agencies can no longer promise their installation of Einstein cybersecurity will be modified to include the
respondents that their responses will be protection technology to monitor their
following sentence, ‘‘Per the Federal
seen only by statistical agency Internet traffic.
personnel or their sworn agents. In a separate Federal Register Notice, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of
However, they can promise, in NSF notified the public that the 2015, your data are protected from
accordance with provisions of the confidentiality pledge for NCSES cybersecurity risks through screening of
Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act surveys was being revised, effective the systems that transmit your data.’’

TABLE 1—CURRENT PRA OMB NUMBERS, EXPIRATION DATES, AND INFORMATION COLLECTION TITLES INCLUDED IN THIS
NOTICE
OMB Control No. Expiration date Information collection title

3145–0101 .............. 08/31/2018 ............. Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities (Facilities).
3145–0019 .............. 05/31/2018 ............. Survey of Earned Doctorates.
3145–0020 .............. 08/31/2018 ............. Survey of Doctorate Recipients.
3145–0100 .............. 09/30/2019 ............. Higher Education R&D Survey.
3145–0141 * ............ 05/31/2018 ............. National Survey of College Graduates.
3145–0174 .............. 07/31/2019 ............. Generic Clearance of Survey Improvement Projects.
3145–0235 .............. 06/30/2017 ............. Early Career Doctorates Survey.
* This information collection was also named in a Federal Register Notice from the U.S. Census Bureau (81 FR 94321), since that agency col-
lects data on NSF’s behalf.

Dated: February 2, 2017. regarding this matter. The Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Subcommittee will gather information, rm/doc-collections/acrs. Information
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science analyze relevant issues and facts, and regarding topics to be discussed,
Foundation. formulate proposed positions and changes to the agenda, whether the
[FR Doc. 2017–02461 Filed 2–6–17; 8:45 am] actions, as appropriate, for deliberation meeting has been canceled or
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P by the Full Committee. rescheduled, and the time allotted to
Members of the public desiring to present oral statements can be obtained
provide oral statements and/or written from the Web site cited above or by
NUCLEAR REGULATORY comments should notify the Designated contacting the identified DFO.
COMMISSION Federal Official (DFO), Christopher Moreover, in view of the possibility that
Brown (Telephone 301–415–7111 or the schedule for ACRS meetings may be
Advisory Committee on Reactor Email: Christopher.Brown@nrc.gov) five adjusted by the Chairman as necessary
Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the days prior to the meeting, if possible, so to facilitate the conduct of the meeting,
ACRS Subcommittee on APR 1400; that appropriate arrangements can be persons planning to attend should check
Notice of Meeting made. Thirty-five hard copies of each with these references if such
presentation or handout should be rescheduling would result in a major
The ACRS Subcommittee on APR provided to the DFO thirty minutes
1400 will hold a meeting on February inconvenience.
before the meeting. In addition, one
24, 2017, Room T–2B1, 11545 Rockville electronic copy of each presentation If attending this meeting, please enter
Pike, Rockville, Maryland. should be emailed to the DFO one day through the One White Flint North
The meeting will be open to public before the meeting. If an electronic copy building, 11555 Rockville Pike,
attendance with the exception of cannot be provided within this Rockville, Maryland. After registering
portions that may be closed to protect timeframe, presenters should provide with Security, please contact Mr.
information that is proprietary pursuant the DFO with a CD containing each Theron Brown (Telephone 240–888–
to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4). The agenda for presentation at least thirty minutes 9835) to be escorted to the meeting
the subject meeting shall be as follows: before the meeting. Electronic room.
Friday, February 24, 2017—8:30 a.m. recordings will be permitted only
Dated: February 1, 2017.
until 12:00 p.m. during those portions of the meeting
that are open to the public. Detailed Mark L. Banks,
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

The Subcommittee will review the
APR 1400 Safety Evaluation Report with procedures for the conduct of and Chief, Technical Support Branch, Advisory
participation in ACRS meetings were Committee on Reactor Safeguards.
Open Items—Chapter 12, ‘‘Radiation
Protection.’’ The Subcommittee will published in the Federal Register on [FR Doc. 2017–02511 Filed 2–6–17; 8:45 am]
hear presentations by and hold October 17, 2016, (81 FR 71543). BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
discussions with the NRC staff and Detailed meeting agendas and meeting
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Company transcripts are available on the NRC

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Document Created: 2017-02-07 00:27:42
Document Modified: 2017-02-07 00:27:42

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for comments.
Dates		Written comments on this notice must be received by April 10, 2017 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date
FR Citation		82 FR 9599