[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52354-52355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20892]


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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: [email protected]), and to the 
FCC's PRA mailbox (e-mail address: [email protected]). 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 [email protected] 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]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P