[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24201-24202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9700]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review and Approval 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden 
and as required b y the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3502-3520), 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 estimates; (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 collection burden on 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 May 23, 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 (OMB), via fax at 202-395-5167 or via Internet at 
[email protected] [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] 
[email protected].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1003.
    Title: Communications Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions, Federal Government, and state, local or tribal 
government.
    Number of Respondents: 6,750 respondents; 6,750 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.7 hours per response.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. Statutory authority for this 
information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. Sections 154(i), 218 
and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 4,725 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.

[[Page 24202]]

    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission acknowledges 
and agrees that is consistent with the primary objective of the DIRS to 
treat filings as confidential. We will work with respondents to ensure 
that their concerns regarding the confidentiality of DIRS filings are 
resolved in a manner consistent with Commission rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as a revision 
during this comment period to obtain the three year clearance from 
them.
    In response to the events of September 11, 2001, the Federal 
Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) created an Emergency 
Contact Information System to assist the Commission in ensuring rapid 
restoration of communications capabilities after disruption by a 
terrorist threat or attack, and to ensure that public safety, public 
health, and other emergency and defense personnel have effective 
communications services available to them in the immediate aftermath of 
any terrorist attack within the United States. The Commission 
submitted, and OMB approved, a collection through which key 
communications providers could voluntarily provide contact information.
    The Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) 
updated the Emergency Contact Information system with a Disaster 
Information Reporting System (DIRS) that uses electronic forms to 
collect Emergency Contact Information forms and through which 
participants may inform the Commission of damage to communications 
infrastructure and facilities and may request resources for 
restoration. The Commission updated the process by increasing the 
number of reporting entities to ensure inclusion of wireless, wireline, 
broadcast, cable and satellite communications providers.
    The Commission is now requesting revision of the currently approved 
collection. In recent years, communications have evolved from a 
circuit-switched network infrastructure to broadband networks. The 
Commission is seeking to extend the Disaster Information Reporting 
System to include interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol and 
broadband Internet Service Providers. Increasing numbers of consumers, 
businesses, and government agencies rely on broadband and 
interconnected VoIP services for everyday and emergency communications 
needs, including vital 9-1-1 services. It is therefore imperative that 
the Disaster Information Reporting System be expanded to include these 
new technologies in order for the Commission the gain an accurate 
picture of communications landscape during disasters. The Commission 
has revised its DIRS screen shots and is including a copy of the DIRS 
user manual for which the Commission is requesting OMB approval.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-9700 Filed 4-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P