2023-16513. Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 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, 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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.”

DATES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted on or before September 5, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Your comment must be submitted into www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your comment on the proposed information collection to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to [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 Cathy Williams at (202) 418–2918. 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 Title of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.”

OMB Control No.: 3060–1124.

Title: 80.231, Technical Requirements for Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS) Equipment.

Form No.: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 20 respondents; 50,020 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour per requirement.

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

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 307(e), 309 and 332 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 50,020 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $25,000.

Needs and Uses: On September 19, 2008, the Commission adopted a Second Report and Order, FCC 08–208, which added a new section 80.231, which requires that manufacturers of Class B Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) transmitters for the Marine Radio Service include with each transmitting device a statement explaining how to enter static information accurately and a warning statement that entering inaccurate information is prohibited. The Commission is seeking to extend this collection in order to obtain the full three-year clearance from OMB. Specifically, the information collection requires that manufacturers of AIS transmitters label each transmitting device with the following statement: WARNING: It is a violation of the rules of the Federal Communications Commission to input an MMSI that has not been properly assigned to the end user, or to otherwise input any inaccurate data in this device. Additionally, prior to submitting a certification application (FCC Form 731, OMB Control Number 3060–0057) for a Class B AIS device, the following information must be submitted in duplicate to the Commandant (CG–521), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 2nd Street SW, Washington, DC 20593–0001: (1) The name of the manufacturer or grantee and the model number of the AIS device; and (2) copies of the test report and test data obtained from the test facility showing that the device complies with the environmental and operational requirements identified in IEC 62287–1. After reviewing the information described in the certification application, the U.S. Coast Guard will issue a letter stating whether the AIS device satisfies all of the requirements specified in IEC 62287–1. A certification application for an AIS device submitted to the Commission must contain a copy of the U.S. Coast Guard letter stating that the device satisfies all of the requirements specified in IEC–62287–1, a copy of the technical test data and the instruction manual(s).

These reporting and third-party disclosure requirements aid the Commission monitoring advance marine vessel tracking and navigation information transmitted from Class B AIS devices to ensure that they are accurate and reliable, while promoting marine safety.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.