2017-21238. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

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 December 4, 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email [e-mail] and to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at [phone].

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 Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. 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: 3060-1116.

Title: Submarine Cable Reporting.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 63 respondents; 63 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 190 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 303(r) and 403.

Total Annual Burden: 11,970 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Information provided pursuant to this request will be viewed as presumptively confidential upon submission because the information would reflect reports on weaknesses in or damage to national communications infrastructure, and the release of this sensitive information to the public could potentially facilitate terrorist targeting of critical infrastructure and key resources. The submissions also may contain internal confidential information that constitutes trade secrets and commercial/financial information that the respondent does not routinely make public and public release of the submitted information could cause competitive harm by revealing information about the types and deployment of cable equipment and the traffic that flows across the system. For these reasons, the information requested in (b) (Terrestrial Route Map) and (c) (Undersea Location Spreadsheet) above is presumptively exempt from public disclosure under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Exemption 3, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3), and section 4(j) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(j), as implemented in 47 CFR 0.457(c)(1)(i) (exempting disclosure of “maps showing the exact location of submarine cables”). The information requested in (a) (System Status and Restoration Messages) and (d) (Restoration Capability) described above will be considered exempt under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4). If a FOIA request is filed for information submitted in response to this request, the respondent whose records are the subject of the request will be notified of the FOIA request and given the opportunity to oppose release of the records. See 47 CFR 0.461(d)(3). We note that the information provided in response to this request will be shared with the Department of Homeland Security's National Communications System (NCS) and relevant Executive Branch agencies on a confidential basis. See 44 U.S.C. 3510.

Needs and Uses: This information is needed in order to support Federal government national security and emergency preparedness communications programs, for the purposes of providing situational awareness of submarine cable system performance as well as a greater understanding of potential physical threats to the submarine cable systems. This information will provide situational awareness regarding the operational status of submarine cable systems to the Federal government, and allow the Executive Branch to assess potential risks and threats to these critical communications systems in the context of other available information.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary. Office of the Secretary.