Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted on or before May 13, 2016. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contacts below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via email Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov; and to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email PRA@fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain , (2) look for the section of the Web page called “Currently Under Review,” (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading, (4) select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box, (5) click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0678.

Title: Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules: Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage by, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations.

Form Nos.: FCC Form 312; Schedule A; Schedule B; Schedule S; FCC Form 312-EZ; FCC Form 312-R.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 4,924 respondents; 4,972 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5-80 hours per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion, one time, and annual reporting requirements; third-party disclosure requirement; recordkeeping requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154, 301, 302, 303, 307, 309, 310, 319, 332, 605, and 721.

Total Annual Burden: 34,099 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $10,617,860.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information. Certain information collected regarding international coordination of satellite systems is not routinely available for public inspection pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(b) and 47 CFR 0.457(d)(vii).

Needs and Uses: On December 17, 2015, the Commission released a Second Report and Order, FCC 15-167, titled, “In the Comprehensive Review of Licensing and Operating Rules for Satellite Services.” In this Report and Order, the Commission adopted comprehensive changes to 47 CFR part 25, which governs licensing and operation of space stations and earth stations for the provision of satellite communication services. Many of the amendments are substantive changes intended to give licensees greater operational flexibility.

The information collection requirements in this collection are needed to determine the technical, legal, and other qualifications of applicants and licensees to operate a radio station and to determine whether grant of an authorization serves the public interest, convenience and necessity. Without such information, the Commission could not determine whether to permit respondents to provide communications services in the United States. Therefore, the Commission would not be able to fulfill its statutory responsibilities in accordance with the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and the obligations imposed on parties to the World Trade Organization Basic Telecom Agreement.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0937.

Title: Establishment of a Class A Television Service, MM Docket No. 00-10.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; Third party disclosure requirement; On occasion and quarterly reporting requirements.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 430 respondents; 10,850 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.017 hours-52 hours.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in Sections 154(i), 307, 308, 309 and 319 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 202,133 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $1,911,000.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: On November 29, 1999, the Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999 (CBPA), Public Law 106-113, 113 Stat. Appendix I at pp. 1501A-594-1501A-598 (1999), codified at 47 U.S.C. 336(f), was enacted. That legislation provided that a low power television (LPTV) licensee should be permitted to convert the secondary status of its station to the new Class A status, provided it can satisfy certain statutorily-established criteria. The CBPA directs that Class A licensees be subject to the same license terms and renewal standards as full-power television licenses and that Class A licensees be accorded primary status as television broadcasters as long as they continue to meet the requirements set forth in the statute for a qualifying low power station.

The CBPA sets out certain certification and application procedures for LPTV licensees seeking Class A designation, prescribes the criteria LPTV licensees must meet to be eligible for Class A licenses, and outlines the interference protection Class A applicants must provide to analog, digital, LPTV and TV translator stations.

The CBPA directs that Class A stations must comply with the operating requirements for full-service television broadcast stations. Therefore, beginning on the date of its application for a Class A license and thereafter, a station must be “in compliance” with the Commission's operating rules for full-service television stations, contained in 47 CFR part 73.