2021-01367. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

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 of 1995 (PRA), 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.

The FCC 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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before March 23, 2021. 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 Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to [e-mail] and to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0686.

Title: International Section 214 Process and Tariff Requirements, 47 CFR Sections 63.10, 63.11, 63.13, 63.18, 63.19, 63.21, 63.22, 63.24, 63.25 and 1.1311.

Form No.: International Section 214—New Authorization; International Section 214 Authorization—Transfer of Control/Assignment; International Section 214—Special Temporary Authority and International Section 214—Foreign Carrier Affiliation Notification.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 268 respondents; 455 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour-20 hours.

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

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for Part 1 of this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C 151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 225, 303(r), 309, and 325(e). The statutory authority for Part 63 of this information collection is contained in Sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 10, 11, 201-205, 214, 218, 403, and 651 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 160, 201-205, 214, 218, 403, and 571. The statutory authority for this information collection is also contained in the Cable Landing License Act, Executive Order 10530 and the Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1456.

Total Annual Burden: 1,677 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $419,390.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

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

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

The information is used by the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) staff in carrying out its duties under the Communications Act. The information collections pertaining to Part 1 of the rules are necessary to determine whether the Commission should grant a license for proposed submarine cables landing in the United States. Pursuant to Executive Order No. 10530, the Commission has been delegated the President's authority under the Cable Landing License Act to grant cable landing licenses, provided that the Commission obtains the approval from the State Department and seeks advice from other government agencies as appropriate. The information collections pertaining to Part 63 are necessary largely to determine the qualifications of applicants to provide common carrier international telecommunications service, including applicants that are affiliated with foreign carriers, and to determine whether and under what conditions the authorizations are in the public interest, convenience, and necessity.

If the collections are not conducted or are conducted less frequently, applicants will not be able to obtain the authorizations necessary to provide telecommunications services, and the Commission will be unable to carry out its mandate under the Communications Act of 1934 and the Cable Landing License Act. In addition, without the information collections, the United States would jeopardize its ability to fulfill the U.S. obligations as negotiated under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Basic Telecom Agreement because these collections are imperative to detecting and deterring anticompetitive conduct. They are also necessary to preserve the Executive Branch agencies' and the Commission's ability to review foreign investments for national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and trade concerns.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.