2017-05184. 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 May 15, 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: 3060-1113.

Title: Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,253 respondents; 1,253 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes (.5 hours).

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

Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 154(o), 218, 219, 230, 256, 302(a), 303(f), 303(g), 303(r), 403, 621(b)(3), and 621(d).

Total Annual Burden: 28,193 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No Impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted as an extension after this 60 day comment period to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in order to obtain OMB approval.

On August 7, 2008, the FCC released a Third Report and Order in PS Docket No. 07-287, FCC 08-184 (CMAS Third R&O), the CMAS Third R&O implements provisions of the Warning, Alert and Response Network (“WARN”) Act, including inter alia, a requirement that within 30 days of release of the CMAS Third R&O, each Commercial Mobile Service (CMS) provider must file an election with the Commission indicating whether or not it intends to transmit emergency alerts as part of the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). The CMAS Third R&O noted that this filing requirement was subject to OMB review and approval. The Commission received “pre-approval” from the OMB on February 4, 2008. The Commission began accepting CMAS election filings on or before September 8, 2008.

All CMS providers are required to submit a CMAS election, including those that were not licensed at the time of the initial filing deadline with the FCC. In addition, any CMS provider choosing to withdraw its election must notify the Commission at least sixty (60) days prior to the withdrawal of its election. The information collected will be the CMS provider's contact information and its election, i.e., a “yes” or “no”, on whether it intends to provide commercial mobile service alerts.

The Commission will use the information collected to meet its statutory requirement under the WARN Act to accept licensees' election filings and to establish an effective CMAS that will provide the public with effective mobile alerts in a manner that imposes minimal regulatory burdens on affected entities.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.