[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52224-52225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20578]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 25

[IB Docket No. 12-267, 11-43; FCC 13-111]


Rules Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage by, 
Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, 
the information collection associated with the Commission's Report and 
Order adopting comprehensive changes to the Commission's rules 
governing licensing and operation of space stations and earth stations 
for the provision of satellite communication services. This document is 
consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission 
would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB 
approval and the effective date of all of the rule changes adopted in 
the Report and Order.

DATES: 47 CFR 25.170, 25.171, 25.172, 25.173, 25.285, 25.286, and 
25.287, and the amendments to 47 CFR 25.103, 25.111, 25.112, 25.113, 
25.114, 25.115, 25.118, 25.121, 25.129, 25.130, 25.131, 25.132, 25.133, 
25.134, 25.135, 25.136, 25.138, 25.140, 25.142, 25.143, 25.144, 25.145, 
25.146, 25.153, 25.154, 25.161, 25.164, 25.201, 25.202, 25.203, 25.204, 
25.206, 25.208, 25.209, 25.210, 25.211, 25.212, 25.214, 25.215, 25.217, 
25.218, 25.220, 25.221, 25.222, 25.223, 25.226, 25.227, 25.259, 25.260, 
25.271, 25.272, 25.276, and 25.281 published February 12, 2014 (79 FR 
8308) are effective September 3, 2014.
    The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in 47 
CFR 25.281 is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of 
September 3, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information contact 
Cathy Williams, [email protected], (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on August 15, 
2014, OMB approved the information collection requirements contained in 
the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 13-111, published at 79 FR 8308, 
February 12, 2014. The OMB Control Number is 3060-0678. While not all 
the revisions to part 25 adopted in the Report and Order required 
approval by OMB under the PRA, many did. Those requirements could not 
go into effect until OMB approved the information collection 
requirements and the Commission published a notice announcing the 
effective date of those requirements. To avoid confusion, all rule 
changes adopted in the Report and Order will become effective on the 
same date. The Commission publishes this notice as an announcement of 
the effective date of the requirements. Publication of this effective 
date announcement does not alter the revisions and amendments made to 
the publication of FCC 13-111 at 79 FR 8308 in 79 FR 44312 (47 CFR 
25.140(b)); 79 FR 44140 (47 CFR 25.285(a)(2)); 79 FR 27502 (47 CFR 
25.149(a)(1)); or 79 FR 27503 (47 CFR 25.113). Additionally, the 
Definition of Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft in 47 CFR 25.103 adopted 
April 17, 2014, and released on April 18, 2014 (FCC 14-45), should 
remain as published at 79 FR 26863, May 12, 2014; effective June 11, 
2014. If you have any comments on the burden estimates listed below, or 
how the Commission can improve the collections and reduce any burdens 
caused thereby, please contact Cathy Williams, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. 
Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-0678, in your 
correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments via the 
Internet if you send them to [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
    Synopsis: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB 
approval on August 15, 2014, for the new information collection 
requirements contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 25.140, 
25.145, 25.146, 25.264, 25.144, 25.142, 25.143, 25.115, 25.130, 25.132, 
25.111, 25.114, 25.133, 25.218, 25.220, 25.203, 25.138, 25.131, 25.134, 
25.221, 25.222, 25.226, 25.227, 25.129, 25.135, 25.223, 25.144, 25.121, 
25.170, 25.113, 25.118, 25.143, 25.173, 25.171, 25.172, 25.259, 25.260, 
25.164.
    Under 5 CFR 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection 
of information unless it displays a current, 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 current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 
Control Number is 3060-0678.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Pub. L. 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0678.
    OMB Approval Date: August 15, 2014.
    OMB Expiration Date: August 31, 2017.
    Title: Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules: 
Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth 
Stations and Space Stations.
    Form No.: FCC Form 312--Main, FCC Form 312--Schedule A, FCC Form 
312--Schedule B, FCC Form 312-R, FCC Form 312-EZ, FCC Form 312--
Schedule S.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 4,880 respondents and 4,928 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 to 80 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, one time and annual reporting 
requirements; third-party disclosure requirement; recordkeeping 
requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154, 
301, 302, 303, 307, 308, 309, 332 and 705 unless otherwise noted.
    Total Annual Burden: 34,155 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $9,998,785.

[[Page 52225]]

    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On August 9, 2013, the Federal Communications 
Commission (Commission) released a Report and Order (R&O) titled, ``In 
the Comprehensive Review of Licensing and Operating Rules for Satellite 
Services,'' FCC 13-111. In this R&O, the Commission adopted 
comprehensive changes to Part 25 of the Commission's rules, which 
governs licensing and operation of space stations and earth stations 
for the provision of satellite communication services. Many of the 
amendments are substantive changes intended to afford licensees as much 
operational flexibility as possible consistent with minimizing harmful 
interference and easing administrative burdens on licensees, 
applicants, and the Commission. Additionally, this information 
collection is revised by incorporating existing separate information 
collection requirements under Part 25 into this information collection. 
Specifically, the revision of OMB Control No. 3060-0678 (Part 25 of the 
Commission's Rules) consolidated information collections that were 
approved under OMB Control Nos. 3060-0768 (28 GHz Band Segmentation 
Plan), 3060-0955 (2 GHz Mobile Satellite Service Reports), 3060-0962 
(Redesignation of the 18 GHz Band), 3060-0994 (Flexibility for Delivery 
of Communications by MSS Providers), 3060-1013 (Mitigation of Orbital 
Debris), 3060-1014 (Ku-band NGSO FSS), 3060-1059 (Global Mobile 
Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS)/E911 Call Centers), 3060-
1061 (Earth Stations on Board Vessels (ESVs)), 3060-1066 (Renewal of 
Application for Satellite Space and Earth Station Authorization), 3060-
1067 (Qualification Questions), 3060-1095 (Surrenders of 
Authorizations), 3060-1097 (Rules for Broadcasting Satellite Service), 
3060-1106 (Vehicle Mounted Earth Stations (VMES)), 3060-1108 
(Consummation of Assignments and Transfers of Control), 3060-1153 
(Satellite Digital Radio Service (SDARS)), and 3060-1187 (Earth 
Stations Aboard Aircraft (ESAA)) into collection 3060-0678. Therefore, 
the number of respondents, number of responses, annual burden hours and 
annual costs have been amended from the previous submission that was 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on March 13, 
2013.
    The information collection requirements accounted for in this 
collection are needed to determine the technical and legal 
qualifications of applicants or licensees to operate a station and to 
determine whether the authorization is in the public interest, 
convenience, and necessity. Without such information, the Commission 
could not determine whether to permit respondents to provide 
telecommunications services in the United States. Therefore, the 
Commission would not be able to fulfill its statutory responsibilities 
in accordance with the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and the 
obligations imposed on parties to the World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Basic Telecom Agreement.

Federal Communications Commission.
Gloria J. Miles,
Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2014-20578 Filed 9-2-14; 8:45 am]
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