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

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 (PRA) 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 Paperwork Reduction (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before September 28, 2004. 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments to Judith B. Herman, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C804, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554 or via the Internet to Judith-B.Herman@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1013.

Title: Mitigation of Orbital Debris.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 50.

Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours.

Frequency of Response: One time reporting requirement and third party requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 135 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $36,000.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.

Needs and Uses: The Commission is revising this information collection to reflect the new and/or modified information collection requirements that resulted from the Second Report and Order, “In the Matter of Mitigation of Orbital Debris.” This rulemaking was released by the Commission on June 21, 2004. The Commission amended Parts 5, 25, and 97 of the Commission's rules by adopting new rules concerning mitigation of orbital debris. Orbital debris consists of artificial objects orbiting the earth that are not functional spacecraft. Adoption of these rules will help preserve the United States' continued affordable access to space, the continued provision of reliable U.S. space-based services—including communications and remote sensing satellite services for U.S. commercial, government, and homeland security purposes—as well as the continued safety of persons and property in space and on the surface of the earth. Under the rules as amended today, a satellite system operator requesting FCC space station authorization, or an entity requesting a Commission ruling for access to a non-U.S.-licensed space station under the FCC's satellite market access procedures, must submit an orbital debris mitigation plan to the Commission regarding spacecraft design and operation in connection with its request. This Second Report and Order provides guidance for the preparation of such plans. The Commission also adopted requirements concerning the post-mission disposal of Commission-licensed space stations operating in or near the two most heavily used orbital regimes, low-earth orbit (LEO), and geostationary-earth orbit (GEO). Adoption of these rules will further the domestic policy objective of the United States to minimize the creation of orbital debris and is consistent with international policies and initiatives to achieve this goal.

The information collection requirements accounted for in this collection are necessary to mitigate the potential harmful effects of orbital debris accumulation. Without such information collection requirements, the growth in the orbital debris may limit the usefulness of space for communications and other uses in the future by raising the costs and lowering the reliability of space-based systems.