[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49368-49369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23088]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-XXXX]


Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 
the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested 
concerning: 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; the 
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the 
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees.
    The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be subject to any 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject 
to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before November 24, 
2017. 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 contacts listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via 
email [email protected]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via 
email [email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the comments 
the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991. 
To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted 
to OMB: (1) Go to the 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)

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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, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of 
this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC 
submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission 
(FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following 
information collection. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the 
Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information collection 
burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Part 32 Uniform System of Accounts.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,176 respondents; 2,458 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20-40 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time, on occasion, and annual reporting 
requirements; recordkeeping requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 10, 201, 219-220, 224, 254(k), 272(e)(3), and 403 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 160, 201, 219-220, 
224, 254(k), 272(e)(3), and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 103,240 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Respondents are not being 
asked to submit confidential information to the Commission. If the 
Commission requests respondents to submit information which respondents 
believe is confidential, respondents may request confidential treatment 
of such information under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: On February 24, 2017, the Commission released the 
Part 32 Order, WC Docket No. 14-130, CC Docket No. 80-286, FCC 17-15, 
which minimized the compliance burdens imposed by the Uniform System of 
Accounts (USOA) on price cap and rate-of-return telephone companies, 
while ensuring that the Commission retains access to the information it 
needs to fulfill its regulatory duties.
    The Commission consolidated Class A and Class B accounts by 
eliminating the current classification of carriers, which divides 
incumbent LECS into two classes for accounting purposes based on annual 
revenues. Carriers subject to Part 32's USOA will now only be required 
to keep Class B accounts.
    Pursuant to the Part 32 Order, price cap carriers may elect to use 
generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for all regulatory 
accounting purposes if they: (1) Establish an ``Implementation Rate 
Difference'' (IRD) which is the difference between pole attachment 
rates calculated under Part 32 and under GAAP as of the last full year 
preceding the carrier's initial opting out of Part 32 accounting 
requirements; and (2) adjust their annually-computed GAAP-based pole 
attachment rates by the IRD for a period of 12 years after the 
election. Alternatively, price cap carriers may elect to use GAAP 
accounting for all purposes other than those associated with pole 
attachment rates and continue to use the Part 32 accounts and 
procedures applicable to pole attachment rates for up to 12 years.
    A price cap carrier may be required to submit pole attachment 
accounting data to the Commission for three years following the 
effective date of the rule permitting a price cap carrier to elect GAAP 
accounting. If a pole attacher informs the Commission of a suspected 
problem with pole attachment rates, the Commission will require the 
price cap carrier to file its pole attachment data for the state in 
question. This requirement may be extended for an additional three 
years, if necessary.
    The Commission reduced the accounting requirements for telephone 
companies with a continuing obligation to comply with Part 32 in a 
number of areas. Telephone companies may: (1) Carry an asset at its 
purchase price when it was acquired, even if its value has increased or 
declined when it goes into regulated service; (2) reprice an asset at 
market value after a merger or acquisition consistent with GAAP; (3) 
use GAAP principles to determine Allowance-for-Funds-Used-During 
Construction; and (4) employ the GAAP standard of materiality. Rate-of-
return carriers receiving cost-based support must determine materiality 
consistent with the general materiality guidelines promulgated by the 
Auditing Standards Board.
    Price cap carriers with a continuing Part 32 accounting obligation 
must maintain continuing property records necessary to track 
substantial assets and investments in an accurate, auditable manner. 
The carriers must make such property information available to the 
Commission upon request. Carriers subject to Part 32 must continue to 
comply with the USOA's depreciation procedures and its rules for cost 
of removal-and-salvage accounting.

Federal Communications Commission.
Katura Jackson,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-23088 Filed 10-24-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P