[Federal Register: March 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 53)]
[Notices]
[Page 11947-11948]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20mr09-66]
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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
March 17, 2009.
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, 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: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before April 20,
2009. 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: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of
Management and Budget, (202) 395-
[[Page 11948]]
5887, or via fax at 202-395-5167 or via Internet at Nicholas_A._
Fraser@omb.eop.gov and to Judith-B.Herman@fcc.gov, Federal
Communications Commission, or an e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov. To view a copy
of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go
to the Web page http://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 title of this ICR (or its OMB
Control Number, if there is one) and then click on the ICR Reference
Number to view detailed information about this ICR.
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: 3060-0986.
Title: Competitive Carrier Line Count Report, WC Docket No. 05-337,
CC Docket No. 96-45.
Form Number: FCC Form 525.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for profit and not-for-profit
institutions.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,923 respondents; 5,458
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: .5-6 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly, and annual reporting
requirements.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Total Annual Burden: 27,328 hours.
Annual Cost Burden: $1,093,120.00.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not
requesting that the respondents submit confidential information to the
FCC. Respondents may, however, request confidential treatment for
information they believe to be confidential under 47 CFR 0.459 of the
Commission's rules.
Needs and Uses: This collection is being submitted as a revision to
a currently approved collection. In April 2008, the Commission adopted
an order that capped total annual competitive eligible
telecommunications carrier (ETC) universal service high-cost support
for each state at the level of support that competitive ETCs in that
state were eligible to receive during March 2008 on an annualized
basis. The Commission also adopted two limited exceptions from the
application of the interim cap. First, a competitive ETC will not be
subject to the interim cap to the extent it files cost data
demonstrating that its costs meet the support threshold in the same
manner as the incumbent local exchange carrier. The Commission plans to
submit an additional revision to OMB at a later date seeking approval
to collect competitive ETCs' cost data. Second, the Commission also
created a limited exception for competitive ETCs serving tribal lands
or Alaska Native regions (covered location). High-Cost Universal
Service Support; Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, WC
Docket No. 05-337, CC Docket No. 96-45, FCC 08-122. Competitive ETCs
opting into the exception for Tribal lands or Alaska Native regions
would have to file line counts on FCC Form 525 separately for covered
and non-covered locations. Most competitive ETCs that serve these
locations already have separate study area codes for the covered
location, and this requirement will not increase their burden. A small
number of competitive ETCs, however, may need to make a one time
request for additional study area codes. Thereafter, these carriers
will have to file an additional Form 525 for each additional study area
code. Additionally, each competitive ETC opting into this exception
will be required to file, each time it files line count data, a
certification that the lines reflected in a particular filing are
within a covered location. The competitive ETCs also will be required
to maintain records showing how they determined that the lines were in
a covered location. The Commission will not amend FCC Form 525 to
incorporate the information requests related to this limited exception
to the interim cap on high-cost support. The Commission has reviewed
the information collection and has revised the estimates that are
detailed in the supporting statement. Additionally, the Commission is
revising the collection to incorporate the reporting requirements of
OMB 3060-0793 for the self-certification as a rural carrier requirement
into this collection under OMB Control Number 3060-0986. The self-
certification for rural carriers is rarely filed with the Commission,
therefore, its incorporation into OMB 3060-0986 will ease the
Commission's administrative burden for complying with information
collection requirements. Upon OMB approval of this revision, the
Commission will voluntarily discontinue OMB Control Number 3060-0793
and retain this one for OMB's inventory.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
[FR Doc. E9-6132 Filed 3-19-09; 8:45 am]
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