2013-06566. 2006 Biennial Regulatory Review-Revision of the Commission's Rules

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Final rule; announcement of effective date.

SUMMARY:

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the revision of the Commission's 2006 Biennial Regulatory Review, Report and Order. This notice is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

DATES:

The amendments to 47 CFR 25.110 and 25.137, published at 78 FR 8417, February 6, 2013, are effective March 22, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William Bell, Satellite Division, International Bureau, at [phone], or via email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This document announces that, on February 6, 2013, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 12-116, published at 78 FR 8417, February 6, 2013. The OMB Control Number is 3060-0678. The Commission publishes this notice as an announcement of the effective date of the requirements.

Synopsis

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB approval on February 6, 2013, for the information collection requirements contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 25.110 and 25.137.

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 3060-0678.

The foregoing notice 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 No.: 3060-0678.

OMB Approval Date: March 13, 2013.

O MB Expiration Date: March 31, 2016.

Title: Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage by, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations.

Form No.: FCC Form 312; Schedule S.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 1,248 respondents; 1,248 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.25-22 hours per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting requirements; third-party disclosure requirement; recordkeeping requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154, 301, 302, 303, 307, 309, 332 and 705 unless otherwise noted.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 9,765 hours.

Total Annual Cost Burden: $22,375,860.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: On September 28, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) released a Report and Order (R&O) titled, “In the Matter of 2006 Biennial Regulatory Review—Revision of Part 25,” FCC 12-116. With two exceptions, the amendments are non-substantive; that is, they neither impose new requirements nor eliminate or alter existing requirements. The two substantive amendments adopted in the R&O do not increase paperwork burdens. Therefore, the number of respondents, number of responses, annual burden hours and annual costs have not been amended from the previous submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on September 2, 2010.

In this Report and Order, the Commission amended various provisions of Part 25 of its rules pertaining to licensing and operation of satellite service radio stations. Among other things, the Commission added definitions for several technical terms that appear in Part 25 but are not defined there, and it deleted definitions of terms that are not used in Part 25. The Commission also eliminated redundant text from several rule sections, revised the wording of other provisions that were ambiguous or unduly confusing, updated cross-references to Commission rules or recommendations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and corrected grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors. The two substantive amendments the Commission adopted in this Report and Order amended the rules in minor ways by: (1) Eliminating requirements to identify a radio service and station location in correspondence in 47 CFR 25.110 and (2) codifying an established practice of allowing applicants to cross-reference, rather than re-submit, previously filed information regarding non-U.S.-licensed satellites in 47 CFR 25.137. Collectively, the changes adopted in this Report and Order will facilitate preparation of earth and space station applications, promote compliance with the Commission's operating rules, and ease administrative burdens for applicants, licensees, and the Commission.

Federal Communications Commission.

Gloria J. Miles,

Federal Register Liaison, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.