[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 246 (Thursday, December 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79680-79682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32788]


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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

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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 February 21, 2012. 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, via fax at (202) 395-5167 or via Internet at 
[email protected] and to Judith B. Herman, Federal 
Communications Commission, via the Internet at [email protected]. 
To submit your PRA comments by email send them to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith B. Herman, Office of Managing 
Director, (202) 418-0214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0927.
    Title: Auditor's Annual Independence and Objectivity Certification.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 4 respondents; 4 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. Sections 201(b), 219(b) and 220 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 20 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality. However, respondents may request materials or 
information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public 
inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking an extension of this 
information collection in order to obtain the full three year approval 
from OMB. There is no change to the annual reporting requirement. There 
is no change to the Commission's previous burden estimates.
    Section 64.904 requires certain local exchange carriers, in 
connection with their cost allocation manual filings and the 
accompanying financial reports the Commission prescribes under 47 
U.S.C. 201(b), 219(b) and 220, to have an attest engagement performed 
by an independent auditor every two years, over the prior two year 
period. The attest engagement is to be performed in accordance with the 
attestation standards established by the American Institute of 
Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), except as otherwise directed by 
the Chief, Enforcement Bureau. The audit is to be conducted in 
compliance with generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS), except as 
otherwise directed by the Commission's Enforcement Bureau. The 
Responsible Accounting Office (RAO) letter requires that carriers' 
independent auditors:
    (a) Disclose in writing all relationships between the auditor and 
its related entities and the carrier and its related entities that in 
the auditor's professional judgment may reasonably be thought to bear 
on independence;
    (b) Confirm in writing that in its professional judgment it is 
independent of the carrier; and
    (c) Discuss the auditor's independence.
    The information is used by the Commission to determine whether the 
independent auditors are performing their audits independently and 
unbiased of the carrier they audit.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-1124.
    Title: Section 80.231, Technical Requirements for Class B Automatic 
Identification System (AIS) Equipment.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 20 respondents; 20 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.
    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 151-155 and 301-309 of the Communications Act of 1934, 
as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 20 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $28,000.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality. However, respondents may request materials or 
information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public 
inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking an extension of this 
information collection in order to obtain the full three year approval 
from OMB. There is no change to the annual reporting requirement. There 
is no change to the Commission's previous burden estimates.
    When the Commission adopted and released a Second Report and Order, 
FCC 08-208, it contained in Section 80.231, a requirement that 
manufacturers of Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS) 
transmitters for the Maritime Radio Service must include with each 
transmitting device a statement explaining how to enter static 
information accurately and to affix a warning that entering the vessel 
tracking and navigation information transmitted from Class B AIS 
device(s) are accurate and reliable thereby promoting marine safety. 
The rule also requires manufacturers to obtain a letter from the U.S. 
Coast Guard stating that the AIS device satisfies all of the 
requirements specified in IEC 62287-1, and to submit the letter to the 
Commission with its certification application for a Class B AIS device.
    Additionally, prior to submitting a certification application (FCC 
Form 731, OMB Control Number 3060-0057) for a Class B AIS device, the 
following information must be submitted in duplicate to the Commandant 
(CG-521), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 2nd Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-
0001:
    (1) The name of the manufacturer or grantee and the model number of 
the AIS device; and

[[Page 79682]]

    (2) Copies of the test report and test data obtained from the test 
facility showing that the device complies with the environmental and 
operational requirements identified in IEC 62287-1.
    After reviewing the information described in the certification 
application, the U.S. Coast Guard will issue a letter stating whether 
the AIS device satisfies all of the requirements specified in IEC-
62287-1. A certification application for an AIS device submitted to the 
Commission must contain a copy of the U.S. Coast Guard letter stating 
that the device satisfies all of the requirements specified in IEC 
62287-1, a copy of the technical test date and the instruction 
manual(s).
    The information collection requires that manufacturers of AIS 
transmitters label each product and affix and label each transmitting 
device with a statement explaining how to enter static information and 
the following statement:

``WARNING: It is a violation of the rules of the Federal 
Communications Commission to input a MMSI that has not been properly 
assigned to the end user, or to otherwise input any inaccurate data 
in this device.''

    The information collection also requires manufacturers to assure 
the device meets standards set forth in IEC-62287-1 and is used by FCC 
engineers to determine the interference potential of the proposed 
device's operation.


Federal Communications Commission.
Bulah P. Wheeler,
Deputy Manager, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-32788 Filed 12-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P