[Federal Register: September 9, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 175)]
[Notices]
[Page 52354-52355]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09se08-82]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for
Review to the Office of Management and Budget, Comments Requested
September 3, 2008.
SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC)
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the
following information collection(s). 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. An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB 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 that does not display a valid OMB control
number.
DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before October 9,
2008. If you anticipate that you will be submitting PRA comments, but
find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this
notice, you should advise the FCC contact listed below as soon as
possible.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of
Management and Budget (e-mail address: nfraser@omb.eop.gov), and to the
FCC's PRA mailbox (e-mail address: PRA@fcc.gov). Include in the e-mails
the OMB control number of the collection as shown in the
``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section below or, if there is no OMB
control number, the Title as shown in the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION''
section. If you are unable to submit your comments by e-mail contact
the person listed below to make alternate arrangements.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information contact
Jerry Cowden via e-mail at PRA@fcc.gov or at 202-418-0447. To view or
obtain a copy of an information collection request (ICR) submitted to
OMB: (1) Go to this OMB/GSA 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, and (6) when the list of FCC
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of
the ICR you want to view (or its title if there is no OMB control
number) and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC
submission to OMB will be displayed.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: None.
Title: Information Collection regarding Emergency Backup Power for
Communications Assets as set forth in the Commission's rules (47 CFR
12.2).
Form No.: Not applicable.
Type of Review: New collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 73 respondents; 93 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 116.64 hours (range of 96 to 192
hours).
Frequency of Response: One-time reporting.
Obligation to Respond: Mandatory.
Total Annual Burden: 10,848 hours.
Total Annual Cost: None.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: This information collection does not
affect individuals or households, and therefore a privacy impact
assessment is not required.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: All reports and plans
required by Section 12.2 of the Commission's rules will be
automatically afforded confidentiality because the information in these
reports and plans is sensitive for both national security and/or
commercial reasons.
Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted an Order (FCC 07-107) that
includes an emergency backup power rule (section 12.2). This rule, as
modified in an Order on Reconsideration (FCC 07-177), obligates certain
specified local exchange carriers (LECs) and commercial mobile radio
service (CMRS) providers to file a report that enumerates whether the
carriers meet the emergency backup power requirement for assets
necessary to maintain communications that are normally powered from
local commercial power.
Specifically, Section 12.2(c) requires LECs and CMRS providers to
file reports with the Commission that identify the following
information: (1) Each asset that was designed to comply with the
applicable backup power requirement; (2) each asset where compliance is
precluded due to risk to safety or life or health; (3) each asset where
compliance is precluded by private legal obligation or agreement; (4)
each asset where compliance is precluded by Federal, state, tribal or
local law; and (5) each asset that was designed with less than the
required emergency backup power capacity and that is not precluded from
compliance by risk to safety of life or health, private legal
obligation or agreement, or Federal, state, tribal or local law. LECs
and CMRS providers must file these reports within six months of the
effective date of this requirement, which is the date of the Federal
Register notice announcing OMB approval of the information collection
contained in section 12.2 of
[[Page 52355]]
the Commission's rules. LECs and CMRS providers must include a
description of facts supporting the basis of the LECs or CMRS
provider's claim of preclusion from compliance based on risk to safety
of life or health, private legal obligation or agreement, or Federal,
state, tribal or local law.
Additionally, LECs and CMRS providers identifying assets designed
with less than the emergency backup power capacity required in section
12.2(a) and not otherwise precluded from compliance for one of the
three reasons identified in section 12.2(b) must comply with the backup
power requirement or file, within 12 months from the effective date of
section 12.2, a certified emergency backup power compliance plan that
is subject to Commission review. The emergency backup power compliance
plan must certify and describe how, in the event of a commercial power
failure, the LEC or CMRS provider will provide emergency backup power
to 100 percent of the area covered by any non-compliant asset, relying
on on-site and/or portable backup power sources or other sources as
appropriate. This emergency backup power must be sufficient for service
coverage as follows: A minimum of 24 hours for assets inside central
offices and eight hours for other assets such as cell sites, remote
switches, and digital loop carrier system remote terminals.
LECs that meet the definition of a Class B company as set forth in
section 32.11(b)(2) of the Commission's rules and non-nationwide CMRS
providers with no more than 500,000 subscribers are exempt from these
reporting requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-20892 Filed 9-8-08; 8:45 am]
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