[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 220 (Thursday, November 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64221-64222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5697]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


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

November 8, 2007.
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, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act 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 Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before January 14, 2008. 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 contacts 
listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: You may submit all PRA comments by e-mail or U.S. mail. To 
submit your comments by e-mail, send them to [email protected]. To submit 
your comments by U.S. mail, send them to Jerry Cowden, Federal 
Communications Commission, Room 1-B135, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554.

[[Page 64222]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection(s) contact Jerry Cowden via e-mail at 
[email protected] or at 202-418-0447.

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: 70.32 hours (average).
    Frequency of Response: One-time reporting.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory.
    Total Annual Burden: 6,540 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, in order to help fulfill its 
statutory obligation to make wire and radio communications services 
available to all people in the United States for the purpose of the 
national defense and promoting safety of life and property, 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 certain assets specified by the rule.
    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 Federal 
Register notice announcing OMB approval of the information collection 
contained in section 12.2 of 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.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 07-5697 Filed 11-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P