2018-27835. 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 of 1995 (PRA), 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.

The FCC 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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before February 25, 2019. 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, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Payment Instructions from the Eligible Entity Seeking Reimbursement from the TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund.

Form Number: FCC Form 1876.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions and State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,500 respondents; 2,500 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours.

Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Public Law 112-96 (Spectrum Act) § 6403(b)(4)(A) and Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act of 2018, Public Law 115-141, Div. P, (RAY BAUM'S Act) § 1452.

Total Annual Burden: 12,500 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No Impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The information collection includes information identifying bank accounts and providing account and routing numbers to access those accounts. FCC considers that information to be records not routinely available for public inspection under 47 CFR 0.457, and exempt from disclosure under FOIA exemption 4 (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)).

Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for revisions to, and a three-year extension of, this information collection as described below.

• There will be 2,500 respondents in FY19, because reimbursements from the Broadcaster Relocation Fund has been expanded to include additional types of eligible entities: TV translator stations, low power TV stations, and FM radio stations. The additional eligible entities will use the form to provide payment instructions to the government.
• A few data elements have been added to adapt the form to the additional types of eligible entities, which do not materially affect respondent burden.
• Instructions have been revised based on the first year's experience with the form, to reduce error rates.

The Spectrum Act requires the Commission to reimburse broadcast television licensees for costs “reasonably incurred” in relocating to new channels assigned in the repacking process and Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) for costs reasonably incurred in order to continue to carry the signals of stations relocating to new channels as a result of the repacking process or a winning reverse auction bid.^[1] RAY BAUM'S Act expands the program to include reimbursement to TV translator stations, low power TV stations, and FM radio stations.^[2]

The information collection for which we are requesting approval is necessary for eligible entities to instruct the Commission on how to pay the approved amounts the entities requested, and for the entities to make certifications that reduce the risk of waste, fraud, abuse and improper payments.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Public Law 112-96 (Spectrum Act) § 6403(b)(4)(A)(i), (ii).

2.  Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act of 2018, Public Law 115-141, Div. P, (RAY BAUM'S Act) § 1452.