[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 198 (Thursday, October 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63617-63618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26417]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 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; (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; and (e) 
ways to further reduce the information burden for small business 
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    The FCC 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 (PRA) that does 
not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before December 12, 2011. 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 PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at (202) 395-5167 or via Internet 
at [email protected] and to Leslie F. Smith, Office of 
Managing Director (OMD), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), via 
the Internet at [email protected]. To submit your PRA comments by e-
mail send them to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leslie F. Smith, Office of Managing 
Director (OMD), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), (202) 418-
0217, or via the Internet at [email protected].
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0812.
    Title: Exemption from Payment of Regulatory Fees When Claiming Non-
Profit Status.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other for-
profit organizations; and State, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 5,300 respondents; 5,830 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes (0.5 hours).
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping; annual, on occasion, and one 
time reporting requirements.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection (IC) is contained 
in 47 U.S.C. 159.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,915 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Licensees or regulates 
concerned about disclosure of sensitive information in any submissions 
to the Commission may request confidential treatment pursuant to 47 CFR 
0.459 of the Commission's rules.

[[Page 63618]]

    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in 
accordance with the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, is required 
to assess and collect regulatory fees from its licensees and regulatees 
in order to recover its costs incurred in conducting enforcement, 
policy and rulemaking, international and user information services.
    The purposes for the requirements are to facilitate: (1) The 
statutory provision that non-profit entities be exempt from payment of 
regulatory fees; and (2) the FCC's ability to audit regulatory fee 
payment compliance.
    In order to develop a Schedule of Regulatory Fees, the FCC must, as 
accurately as possible, estimate the number of fee payment entities and 
distribute the costs. These estimates must be adjusted to account for 
any licensees or regulatees that are exempt from payment of regulatory 
fees. The FCC, therefore, requires all licensees and regulatees that 
claim exemption as non-profit entities to provide one-time only 
documentation sufficient to establish their non-profit status. Further, 
the FCC is requesting that it be similarly notified if for any reason 
that status changes. The documentation necessary to provide to the 
Commission will likely take the form of an Internal Revenue Service 
(IRS) Determination Letter, a state charter indicating non-profit 
status, proof of church affiliation indicating tax exempt status, etc.
    The FCC is requiring licensees or regulatees to maintain and to 
make available, upon request, for inspection such records they would 
normally keep in the course of doing business. This will enable the FCC 
to conduct any audits deemed appropriate to determine whether fee 
payments were made correctly, and will help ensure compliance with the 
FCC fee exemption policies.
    While there is no change in the burden hours for each respondent/
reporting entity, the aggregate burdens hours have increased due to 
more entities having claimed non-profit status in the last three years.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-26417 Filed 10-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P