2014-30383. 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 (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. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid 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 27, 2015. 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 Cathy Williams, FCC, via email PRA@ fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@ fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0645.

Title: Sections 17.4, 17.48 and 17.49, Antenna Structure Registration Requirements.

Form Number: N/ A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit institutions and state, local or tribal government.

Number of Respondents: 20,000 respondents; 475,134 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: .1-.25 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, recordkeeping requirement and third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in Sections 4, 303, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303.

Total Annual Burden: 50,198 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $64,380.

Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality. However, respondents may request materials or information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a revision of this information collection in order to obtain the full three year approval pursuant to FCC 14-117. The Commission initiated this proceeding to update and modernize the Commission's rules. The revised information collection requirements are as follows:

Section 17.4 includes third party disclosure requirements. Specifically, Section 17.4 requires the owner of any proposed or existing antenna structure that requires notice of proposed construction to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to register the structure with the Commission. This includes those structures used as part of the stations licensed by the Commission for the transmission of radio energy, or to be used as part of a cable television head-end system. If a Federal Government antenna structure is to be used by a Commission licensee, the structure must be registered with the Commission. Section 17.4(f) currently requires antenna structure owners to provide their tenants with copies of the antenna structure registration. This rule is being revised to provide that antenna structure owners may either provide a copy or a link to the FCC antenna structure Web site. The revised rules provide that this notification may be done electronically or via paper mail.

Section 17.4(g) currently requires antenna structure owners to display the Antenna Structure Registration Number a conspicuous place that is readily visible near the base of the antenna. This rule is being revised to require that the Antenna Structure Number be displayed so that it is conspicuously visible and legible from the publicly accessible area nearest the base of the antenna structure along the publicly accessible roadway or path. Where an antenna structure is surrounded by a perimeter fence, or where the point of access includes an access gate, the Antenna Structure Registration Number should be posted on the perimeter fence or access gate. Where multiple antenna structures having separate Antenna Structure Registration Numbers are located within a single fenced area, the Antenna Structure Registration Numbers must be posted both on the perimeter fence or access gate and near the base of each antenna structure. If the base of the antenna structure has more than one point of access, the revised rule will require that the Antenna Structure Registration Number be posted so that it is visible at the publicly accessible area nearest each such point of access. The registration number is issued to identify antenna structure owners in order to enforce the Congressionally-mandated provisions related to the owners.

Sections 17.48 and 17.49 contain reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Section 17.48(a) currently requires that antenna structure owners promptly report outages of top steady burning lights or flashing antenna structure lights to the FAA. Upon receipt of the outage notification, the FAA will issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), which notifies aircraft of the outage. However, the FAA cancels all such notices within 15 days. Currently, the Commission's rules do not require antenna structure owners to provide any notification to the FAA regarding the status of repairs other than the initial outage report and the resumption of normal operation. Thus, if the repairs to an antenna structure's lights require more than 15 days, the FAA may not have any record of the outage from that 15th day to the resumption of normal operation. This rule is being revised to require antenna structure owners to provide the FAA with regular updates on the status of their repairs of lighting outages so that the FAA can maintain notifications to aircraft throughout the entire period of time the antenna structure remains unlit. Consistent with the current FAA requirements, if a lighting outage cannot be repaired within the FAA's original NOTAM period, the revised rule will require the antenna structure owner to notify the FAA of that fact. In addition, the revised rule provides that the antenna structure owner must provide any needed updates to its estimated return-to-service date to the FAA. The revised rule will also require antenna structure owners to continue to provide these updates to the FAA every NOTAM period until its lights are repaired.

Section 17.49 currently requires antenna structure owners to maintain a record of observed or otherwise known extinguishments or improper functioning of structure lights, but does not specify the time period for which such records must be maintained. This rules is being revised to require antenna structure owners to maintain a record of observed or otherwise known extinguishments or improper functioning of structure lights for two years and provide the records to the Commission upon request.

Federal Communications Commission.

Sheryl D. Todd,

Deputy Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Managing Director.