03-6960. Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Citizens Band Base Station Antennas

AGENCY:

Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a proposed extension of approval of a collection of information from manufacturers and importers of citizens band base station antennas. The collection of information is in regulations implementing the Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Base Station Antennas (16 CFR part 1204). These regulations establish testing and recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers and importers of antennas subject to the standard. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES:

The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than May 23, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be captioned “Citizens Band Base Station Antennas” and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or delivered to that office, Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Written comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile at [phone] or by e-mail at [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a copy of 16 CFR Part 1204, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

In 1982, the Commission issued the Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Antennas (16 CFR part 1204) to reduce risks of death and serious injury that may result if an omnidirectional antenna contacts an overhead power line while being erected or removed from its site. The standard contains performance tests to demonstrate that an antenna will not transmit a harmful electric current if it contacts an electric power line with a voltage of 14,500 volts phase-to-ground. Certification regulations implementing the standard require manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of antennas subject to the standard to perform tests to demonstrate that those products meet the requirements of the standard, and to maintain records of those tests. The certification regulations are codified at 16 CFR Part 1204, Subpart B.

The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of antennas subject to the standard to help protect the public from risks of injury or death associated with omnidirectional citizens band base station antennas. More specifically, this information helps the Commission determine that antennas subject to the standard comply with all applicable requirements. The Commission also uses this information to obtain corrective actions if omnidirectional citizens band base station antennas fail to comply with the standard in a manner which creates a substantial risk of injury to the public. The Office of Management and Budget approved the collection of information in the certification regulations under control number 3041-0006. OMB's most recent extension of approval expires on May 31, 2003. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of approval without change for the collection of information in the certification regulations.

B. Estimated Burden

The Commission staff estimates that about 5 firms manufacture or import citizens band base station antennas subject to the standard. The Commission staff estimates that the certification regulations will impose an average annual burden of about 220 hours on each of those firms. That burden will result from conducting the testing required by the regulations and maintaining records of the results of that testing. The total annual burden imposed by the regulations on manufacturers and importers of citizens band base station antennas is approximately 1,100 hours.

The hourly wage for the testing and recordkeeping required to conduct the testing and maintain records required by the regulations is about $42.32, for an estimated annual cost to the industry of $46,552.

C. Request for Comments

The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:

—Whether the collection of information described above is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the information would have practical utility;

—Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate;

—Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and

—Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology.

Dated: March 19, 2003.

Todd A. Stevenson,

Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.