[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43126-43127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20556]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collections

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: Persons wishing to comments on this information collection 
should submit comments on [enter date 30 days after date of publication 
in the FR]. 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 PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at (202) 395-5167, or via the 
Internet at [email protected] and to Judith-B.Herman, 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To submit your comments by e-
mail send them to: [email protected]. To view a copy of this information 
collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to 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 FCC list appears, look for the title of this ICR (or its 
OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then click on the ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith Boley Herman, OMD, PERM. For 
additional information about the information collection(s) send an e-
mail to [email protected] or contact Judith Boley Herman, 202-418-0214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0810.
    Title: Procedures for Designation of Eligible Telecommunications 
Carriers (ETCs). Pursuant to Section 214(e)(6) of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as amended.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 100 respondents; 100 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 - 60 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 151 - 154, 201 - 205, 214, 218 - 220, 254, 303(r), and 
403.
    Total Annual Burden: 6,200 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459 of 
the Commission's rules, a respondent may request confidential treatment 
of their information. The respondent must state the reasons they do not 
want their information in the public record and the facts on which 
those reasons are based. The appropriate Bureau or Office Chief of the 
Commission may grant a confidentiality request that presents, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, a case for non-disclosure consistent 
with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. section 552. If a 
confidentiality request is denied, the respondent has five days to 
appeal the decision before the Commission. If the appeal before the 
Commission is denied, the respondent has five days to seek a judicial 
stay.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection (IC) to the OMB as an extension during this comment period 
to obtain the full three-year clearance from them. The Commission 
reported an increase in the total annual burden in the 60 day notice 
(74 FR 27544). However, the Commission has determined that the total 
annual burden was not 9,200 hours but should remain unchanged at 6,200 
hours.
    Section 214(e)(6) states that a telecommunications carrier that is 
not subject to the jurisdiction of a state may request that the 
Commission determine whether it is eligible to receive universal 
service support. The Commission must evaluate whether such 
telecommunications carriers meet the eligibility criteria set forth in 
the Act. The Commission concluded that petitions for designation filed 
under Section 214(e)(6) relating to ``near reservation'' areas will not 
be considered as petitions relating to tribal lands and as a result, 
petitioners seeking eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) 
designation in such areas must follow the procedures outlined in CC 
Docket No. 96-45, Twelfth Report and Order and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 00-258 (rel. June 8, 2000), (Tribal Lands 
Order), for non-tribal lands prior to submitting a request for 
designation to this Commission under Section 214(e)(6).
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0824.

[[Page 43127]]

    Title: Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) and Contact 
Information Form.
    Form No.: FCC Form 498.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 5,000 respondents; 5,000 responses.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 151 - 154 and 254.
    Total Annual Burden: 7,500 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not 
requesting that respondents submit confidential information to the FCC. 
However, respondents may request confidential treatment of their 
information under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection (IC) to the OMB as a revision during this comment period to 
obtain the full three-year clearance from them. There is no change in 
the estimated burden hours. As detailed in the Supporting Statement 
that will be submitted to the OMB for review and approval, the 
Commission proposes changes to certain parts of the FCC Form 498 to 
improve the efficiency of administering the universal service support 
mechanism. Specifically, the Commission proposes:
     1) adding two options for service providers to indicate the reason 
for submitting the FCC Form 498;
     2) clarifying the information for the general contact person, the 
program specific contact persons, and the officer certifying the form;
     3) requiring the submission of the service provider's Dunn and 
Bradstreet number;
     4) eliminating the option to receive paper checks and requiring 
financial institution remittance information in order to make 
electronic disbursements in accordance with the requirements of the 
Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996;
     5) requiring the submission of study area codes for service 
providers that receive High-Cost and Low-Income support; and
     6) giving service providers the option of choosing more than one 
business description for their companies.
    The information collected on FCC Form 498 is used by the Universal 
Service Administrative Company (USAC) to disburse federal universal 
service support consistent with the specifications of carriers and 
service providers who participate and receive support from any of the 
four universal service support mechanisms (High-Cost, Low-Income, Rural 
Health Care and Schools and Libraries). FCC Form 498 submissions also 
provide USAC with updated contact information, enabling USAC to contact 
universal service fund participants when necessary.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0876.
    Title: Section 54.703, USAC Board of Directors Nomination Process 
and Sections 54.719 through 54.725, Review of Administrator's Decision.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 1,312 respondents; 1,312 responses.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 20 - 32 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. Statutory authority for this 
information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. sections 151 - 154, 
201 - 205, 218 - 220, 254, 303(r), 403 and 405 and section 553 of the 
Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. 553.
    Total Annual Burden: 41,840 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not 
requesting that respondents submit confidential information to the FCC. 
However, respondents may request confidential treatment of their 
information under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection (IC) to the OMB as an extension during this comment period 
to obtain the full three-year clearance from them. There is no change 
in the Commission's estimated burden.
    Section 54.703 states that industry and non-industry groups may 
submit to the Commission for approval nominations for individuals to be 
appointed to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Board 
of Directors.
    Sections 54.719 through 54.725 describes the procedures for 
Commission review of USAC decisions including the general filing 
requirements pursuant to which parties must file requests for review. 
The information is used by the Commission to select USAC's Board of 
Directors and to ensure that requests for review are filed properly 
with the Commission.

Federal Communications Commission.
Alethea Lewis,
Information Specialist.
BILLING CODE 6712-01-S
 [FR Doc. E9-20556 Filed 8-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P