[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1465-1466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00341]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1 and 4

[GN Docket No. 15-206; FCC 16-81, FCC 19-138; FR ID 195876]


Improving Outage Reporting for Submarine Cables and Enhanced 
Submarine Cable Outage Data

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective and compliance dates.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approved the information collection 
associated with the Commission's Report and Order and subsequent Order 
on Reconsideration. This document, consistent with those documents, 
fulfills the Commission's commitment that it would publish a document 
in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

DATES: 
    Effective date: The amendments to 47 CFR 1.767 and 4.15, published 
at 81 FR

[[Page 1466]]

52354 on August 8, 2016, are effective January 10, 2024.
    Compliance date: Compliance with 47 CFR 1.767 and 4.15, published 
at 81 FR 52354 on August 8, 2016, began on October 28, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Scott Cinnamon, Cybersecurity and 
Communications Reliability Division, Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau, at (202) 418-2319, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on March 25, 
2021, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements relating to mandatory submarine outage 
reporting rules contained in the Commission's Order, FCC 16-81, 
published at 81 FR 52354, August 8, 2016. The OMB Control Number is 
3060-1283. The Commission publishes this document as an announcement of 
the effective date of the rules. 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 
Nicole Ongele Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-1283, 
in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments 
via email at [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 final OMB 
approval on March 25, 2021, for the information collection requirements 
contained in the modifications to the Commission's rules in 47 CFR 
parts 1 and 4. Notice of that approval was published in the Federal 
Register on April 28, 2021 (see 86 FR 22360).
    Under 5 CFR part 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 3060-1283.
    The foregoing notification is required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Public Law 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: 3060-1283.
    OMB Approval Date: March 25, 2021.
    OMB Expiration Date: March 31, 2024.
    Title: Improving Outage Reporting for Submarine Cables and Enhanced 
Submarine Outage Data.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Total Number of Respondents and Responses: 74 respondents; 336 
respondents.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On-occasion reporting requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: The statutory authority for this information 
collection is contained in in 47 U.S.C. 34 through 39, 151, 154, 155, 
157, 201, 251, 254, 301, 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 307, 309(a), 309(j), 
316, 332, 403, 615a-1, 615c, 1302(a), and 1302(b); 5 U.S.C. 301, and 
Executive Order No. 10530.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,016 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: No costs.
    Needs and Uses: On July 12, 2016, the Commission released the 
Order, FCC 16-81, published at 81 FR 52355, August 8, 2016, adopting 
final rules--containing information collection requirements--
establishing mandatory outage reporting requirements for submarine 
cable licensees. The rules replaced a voluntary outage reporting system 
that was in place for submarine cable operators with a mandatory outage 
reporting requirement similar to the requirements places on other part 
4 licensees identified in 47 CFR 4.3. For outages of a certain scope 
and duration, a submarine cable licensee must file a Notification, 
Interim Report, and Final Report in the manner prescribed in 47 CFR 
4.15. The outage reports are submitted to the Commission through its 
Network Outage Reporting System (NORS). This mandatory reporting system 
provides the Commission greater visibility into the availability and 
resiliency of submarine cable systems.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-00341 Filed 1-9-24; 8:45 am]
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