Hazardous materials endorsement for commercial driver licenses is among the subjects listed for a meeting scheduled November 19 by the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to discuss the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), according to information published in the Federal Register November 8.
The meeting is for vendors of biometric card readers, as well as others who may be interested in the subject, as the technology is related to the TWIC program. Individuals with unescorted access to secure areas of vessels and facilities must undergo a security threat assessment and receive a biometric credential (TWIC card) before they can enter the area.
TSA and the Coast Guard have announced that TWIC enrollment has begun at several US ports, including Corpus Christi TX, Honolulu HI, Baton Rouge LA, Tacoma WA, Beaumont TX, Wilmington DE, and Oakland CA. TWIC enrollment in Houston TX and Providence RI will begin November 14, 2007, and TWIC enrollment in Chicago IL, Port Arthur TX, and Savannah GA will begin November 15, 2007.
TSA and the Coast Guard announced earlier that the TWIC credential is valid for five years. The TWIC fee will be $132.50, but workers with current, comparable background checks, including a hazardous materials endorsement on a commercial driver license and a Merchant Mariner’s document or Free and Secure Trade (FAST) credential, will pay a discounted fee of $105.25.
The November 19 meeting will be from 1 pm until 4 pm in room 2415, Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW, Washington DC. For more information, e-mail Brooke Grant or telephone 202-372-1136.
The information in the Federal Register is available online byclicking here.