Emergency Justification

Mr. Patrick Fuchs

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

Office of Management and Budget

Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Fuchs:

Pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures established at 5 CFR Part 1320, Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public, I request that the following collection of information, “National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS),” be processed pursuant to section 1320.13 Emergency processing.

This information must be collected prior to the expiration of time periods established under Part 1320. Moreover, this information is essential to the Drug Enforcements Administration’s (DEA) mission to prepare strategic intelligence products to provide federal, state, and local policymakers and law enforcement decision makers with information to assist in forming counterdrug policy and plans allocating resources in the fight against illegal drugs.

In June 2012, the DEA absorbed the “domestic strategic intelligence” functions of the National Drug Intelligence Center. DEA is congressionally mandated to produce several significant strategic-level intelligence products, including the National Drug Threat Assessment and other drug topical reports of national interest. These recurring strategic products will draw upon DEA and proprietary reporting from law enforcement, intelligence, and public health sources, along with open source information.

The information requested of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and counterdrug agencies through the NDTS, combined with other local, state, and federal information, will be used to present an accurate picture of the national drug threat. Statistical estimates will be used by DEA intelligence analysts to corroborate and verify anecdotal drug intelligence obtained from various sources. In addition to supporting strategic-level DEA products targeted to counterdrug policymakers, the statistical estimates derived from NDTS response data will also be used by local, state, and federal agencies in support of counterdrug and public health programs.

DEA cannot reasonably comply with the normal clearance procedures because the use of the normal clearance procedures is likely to prevent or disrupt the collection of information.

Please approve or disapprove the collection of information by close of business August 31, 2012.

As you are aware, DEA has taken all practicable steps to consult with other agencies, and members of the public in order to minimize the burden of this collection of information.

Sincerely yours,

Douglas W. Poole

Deputy Chief of Intelligence