Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

SUMMARY:

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 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.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted on or before June 19, 2000. 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all comments to Judy Boley, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C804, 445 12th Street, SW, DC 20554 or via the Internet to jboley@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection(s), contact Judy Boley at 202-418-0214 or via the Internet at jboley@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0410.

Title: Forecast of Investment Usage Report and Actual Usage of Investment Report.

Report No.: FCC Reports 495-A and FCC 495-B.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 300.

Estimated Time Per Response: 40 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 12,000 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Needs and Uses: The Forecast of Investment Usage Report and the Actual Use of Investment Report implement the FCC's Joint Cost Order, which requires that certain telephone plant investments used for both regulated and nonregulated purposes be allocated on the basis of forecasted regulated and nonregulated use. The detection and correction of forecasting errors requires reporting of both forecasted and actual investment usage data. Sixty incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) file the annual reports based on study areas. If the data were collected less frequently, the Commission would not have the data in a timely manner to perform its functions. These annual reports are designed to obtain the data that are needed to evaluate ILECs proposed annual tariffs and to ensure against cross subsidization of nonregulated operations by related operations. These regulated activities are in the interests of, and for the benefit of, the ratepayers. These data are also a part of the data necessary to support the Commission's audit and other oversight functions.