[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14368-14369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04752]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0204, OMB 3060-1231; FR ID 129898]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

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 FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before May 8, 
2023. 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0204.
    Title: Special Eligibility Showings for Authorizations in the 
Public Safety Pool (47 CFR 90.20(a)(2)(v) and 90.20(a)(2)(xi)).
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or households and business or other for-
profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 2 respondents; 2 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.25-0.75 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for the collections of information is contained in 
Sections 154(i), 161, 303(g), 303(r), 332(c)(7).
    Total Annual Burden: 1 hour.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Yes. The information collection in 
47 CFR 90.20(a)(2)(v) affects individuals, and there is a system of 
records that covers it (FCC/WTB-1, Wireless Services Licensing 
Records).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Requests to withhold 
information submitted to the Commission from public inspection will be 
treated in accordance with section 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission collects this information to ensure 
that certain non-governmental applicants applying for the use of 
frequencies in the Public Safety Pool meet the eligibility criteria set 
forth in the Commission's rules.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1231.
    Title: Section 90.20 (xiv), Public Safety Pool.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, and state, 
local, or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 2 respondents; 2 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.
    Frequency of Response: One-time; on occasion reporting requirement 
and third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for these collections are contained in Sections 1, 
2, 4(i), 4(j), 301, 303, 316, and 337 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i), 154(j), 301, 303, 316, 
and 337.
    Total Annual Burden: 2 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: On August, 23, 2016, the Federal Communications 
Commission released a Report and Order, FCC 16-113, PS Docket No. 15-
199 that modified Part 90 of the Rules Private Land Mobile Radio 
Services. The amended rule revises the Part 90 eligibility rules to 
permit railroad police officers to access the interoperability. 
Specifically, the Commission modified Section 90.20(xiv) to provide 
that:
    (xiv)(A) Railroad police officers are a class of users eligible to 
operate on the nationwide interoperability and mutual aid channels 
listed in 90.20(i) provided their employer holds a Private Land Mobile 
Radio (PLMR) license of any radio category, including Industrial/
Business (I/B). Eligible users include full and part time railroad 
police officers, Amtrak employees who qualify as railroad police 
officers under this subsection, Alaska Railroad employees who qualify 
as railroad police officers under this subsection, freight railroad 
employees who qualify as railroad police officers under this 
subsection, and passenger transit lines police officers who qualify as 
railroad police officers under this subsection. Railroads and railroad 
police departments may obtain licenses for the nationwide 
interoperability and mutual aid channels on behalf of railroad police 
officers in their employ. Employers of

[[Page 14369]]

railroad police officers must obtain concurrence from the relevant 
state interoperability coordinator or regional planning committee 
before applying for a license to the Federal Communications Commission 
or operating on the interoperability and mutual aid channels.
    (1) Railroad police officer means a peace officer who is 
commissioned in his or her state of legal residence or state of primary 
employment and employed, full or part time, by a railroad to enforce 
state laws for the protection of railroad property, personnel, 
passengers, and/or cargo.
    (2) Commissioned means that a state official has certified or 
otherwise designated a railroad employee as qualified under the 
licensing requirements of that state to act as a railroad police 
officer in that state.
    (3) Property means rights-of-way, easements, appurtenant property, 
equipment, cargo, facilities, and buildings and other structures owned, 
leased, operated, maintained, or transported by a railroad.
    (4) Railroad means each class of freight railroad (i.e. Class I, 
II, III); Amtrak, Alaska Railroad, commuter railroads and passenger 
transit lines.
    (5) The word state, as used herein, encompasses states, territories 
and the District of Columbia.
    (B) Eligibility for licensing on the 700 MHz narrowband 
interoperability channels is restricted to entities that have as their 
sole or principal purpose the provision of public safety services.
    To effectively implement the provisions of the new Rule, no other 
modifications to existing FCC rules are required. The changes are 
intended to simplify the licensing process for railroad police officers 
and ensure interoperable communications. The modified rules provide a 
benefit to public safety licensees by ensuring that only railroad 
police officers with appropriate governmental authorization can operate 
on the interoperability and mutual aid channels during emergencies. 
This will provide the additional benefit of promoting interoperability 
with railroad police officers by eliminating eligibility as a gating 
factor when licensing spectrum. The Report and Order reduces the burden 
on railroad police by allowing them to meet eligibility standard by 
requiring employers of railroad police officers to obtain concurrence 
from the relevant state interoperability coordinator or regional 
planning committee before applying for a license to the Federal 
Communications Commission or operating on the interoperability and 
mutual aid channels. Compliance with this requirement is already a 
requisite for public safety eligibility to use the interoperability and 
mutual aid channels, consequently any new burden imposed by this 
requirement would be minimal.

Federal Communications Commission.
Katura Jackson,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-04752 Filed 3-7-23; 8:45 am]
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