Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 60723-60724 [2017-27555]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 245 (Friday, December 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60723-60724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27555]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1151]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before February 
20, 2018. 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 Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991.

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 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.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1151.
    Title: Sections 1.1420, 1.1422 and 1.1424, Pole Attachment Access 
Requirements.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently-approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 763 respondents; 36,136 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20-45 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On-occasion reporting requirement, 
recordkeeping requirement, and third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this 
information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 224.
    Total Annual Burden: 448,921 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No questions of a 
confidential nature are asked.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting OMB approval for a 
three-year extension of this information collection In Implementation 
of Section 224 of the Act, A National Broadband Plan for Our Future, WC 
Docket No. 07-245, GN Docket No. 09-51, Report and Order and Order on 
Reconsideration,

[[Page 60724]]

FCC 11-50, the Commission adopted rules that relate to the 
implementation of section 224 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, regarding access to poles that are owned or controlled by 
utilities. Under the Commission's rules, utilities must provide cable 
television systems and telecommunications carriers (collectively, 
``attachers'') with non-discriminatory access to attach facilities to 
poles, ducts, conduits, or rights-of-way owned or controlled by the 
utilities (collectively, ``pole attachments''). However, utilities may 
deny in writing those pole attachment applications where there is 
insufficient capacity on a pole, or for reasons of safety, reliability, 
and generally applicable engineering purposes. Commission rules also 
create a series of deadlines or ``timelines'' by which attachers 
request and receive permission from utilities for pole attachments. The 
first stage of the timeline requires utilities to survey the requested 
poles where access is requested and to perform an engineering analysis. 
Utilities may notify attachers when they have completed their surveys 
of the affected poles. With regard to the second stage of the timeline, 
utilities must present to attachers an estimate of charges for 
preparing a pole for a new attachment (``make-ready'' work). With 
regard to the make-ready stage of the timeline, utilities are required 
to send notices of impending make-ready work to entities with existing 
attachments on the pole. Such notification letters are sent when a 
make-ready schedule is established. If the make-ready period is 
interrupted, or if the pole owner asserts its right to a 15-day 
extension of time to perform make-ready work, then notification letters 
also are required from the utility to the new attacher.
    Additionally, the Order adopted a rule requiring utilities to make 
available and keep up-to-date a reasonably sufficient list of approved 
contractors to perform surveys and make-ready work in the 
communications space of a utility pole. If an attacher uses a utility-
approved contractor, then it must notify the utility and invite the 
utility to send a representative to oversee the work. Finally, the 
Order also broadened the existing enforcement process by permitting 
incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs) to file complaints alleging 
that the pole attachment rates, terms, or conditions demanded by 
utilities are unjust or unreasonable. If an incumbent LEC can 
demonstrate that it is similarly situated to an attacher that is a 
telecommunications carrier or a cable television system (through 
relevant evidence, including pole attachment agreements), then it can 
gain comparable pole attachment rates, terms, and condition as the 
similarly-situated carrier. The paperwork burdens for this provision 
are contained in OMB Collection No. 3060-0392. The Order also 
encourages incumbent LECs that benefit from lower pole attachment costs 
to file data at the Commission that demonstrate that the benefits are 
being passed on to consumers.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-27555 Filed 12-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P