2019-18064. Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget

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 Commission 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 comments should be submitted on or before September 23, 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 contacts listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via email [e-mail]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email [e-mail] and to [e-mail]. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at [phone]. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the web page http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the web page called “Currently Under Review,” (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading, (4) select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box, (5) click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

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 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.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0710.

Title: Policy and Rules Under Parts 1 and 51 Concerning the Implementation of the Local Competition Provisions in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, CC Docket No. 96-98, Sections 47 CFR 1.1403-1.1404; 47 CFR part 51; 47 CFR 51.100—51.807; 47 CFR 20.11.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 15,282 respondents; 1,067,987 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.50-4,000 hours.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in sections 1-4, 201-205, 214, 224, 251, 252, and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and section 601 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. 47 U.S.C. 151-154, 201-205, 224, 251, 252, 303(r), and 601.

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

Total Annual Burden: 645,798 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impacts.

Nature of Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not requesting that the respondents submit confidential information to the FCC. Respondents may, however, request confidential treatment for information they believe to be confidential under 47 CFR Section 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted as an extension of a currently approved collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in order to obtain the full three-year clearance.

The Commission adopted rules to implement the First Report and Order on Reconsideration issued in CC Docket No. 96-98. That Order implemented parts of sections 251 and 252 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that affect local competition. Incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) are required to offer interconnection, unbundled network elements (UNEs), transport and termination, and wholesale rates for certain services to new entrants. Incumbent LECs must price such services and rates that are cost-based and just and reasonable and provide access to right-of-way as well as establish reciprocal compensation arrangements for the transport and termination of telecommunications traffic.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.