[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 45714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17427]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


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

July 21, 2004.
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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-17427 Filed 7-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P