Notice of Public Information Collection 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 of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. 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:

Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should submit comments by February 22, 2010. 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 PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at (202) 395-5167, or via the Internet at Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov and to Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. To submit your comments by e-mail send then to: PRA@fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection send an e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov or contact Cathy Williams on (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0678.

Title: Streamlining and Other Revisions of Part 25 of the Commission's Rules.

Form No.: FCC Form 312 and Schedule S.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business and other for-profit.

Number of Respondents/Responses: 1,030 respondents; 1,030 responses.

Estimated Time Per Response: 0.25-24 hours per response.

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

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 4(i), 7(a), 11, 303(c), 303(f), 303(g), and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended; 47 U.S.C.154(i), 157(a), 161, 303(c), 303(f), 303(g), and 303(r).

Total Annual Burden: 9,791 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $27,749,170.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need for confidentiality.

Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) is revising OMB Control No. 3060-0678 to add the following rule sections that were previously included under OMB Control No. 3060-1007: 47 CFR 25.113, 25.131, 25.154, 25.164 and 25.165. Additionally, we are revising the information collection to include the respondents, annual burden hours and annual costs associated with these rule sections.

Upon OMB approval of the revisions to this information collection, OMB Control No. 3060-1007 also titled, “Streamlining and Other Revisions of Part 25 of the Commission's Rules” will be discontinued.

Currently, OMB Control No. 3060-0678 includes rule sections 47 CFR 25.110, 25.114, 25.115, 25.116, 25.117, 25.118 and 25.130. We will continue to maintain these rule sections in the information collection.

The information collection requirements accounted for in this collection are necessary to determine the technical and legal qualifications of applicants or licensees to operate a station, transfer or assign a license, and to determine whether the authorization is in the public interest, convenience and necessity. Without such information, the Commission could not determine whether to permit respondents to provide telecommunication services in the U.S. Therefore, the Commission would be unable 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 (WTO) Basic Telecom Agreement.