Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 16253-16255 [2023-05399]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 51 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16253-16255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05399]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0686, OMB 3060-0944 and OMB 3060-1163; FR ID 131013]


Information Collections 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 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 May 15, 
2023. 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 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0686.
    Title: International Section 214 Authorizations, 47 CFR 63.10-
63.25, 1.40001, 1.40003.
    Form No.: ITC-214--International Section 214 Authorization 
Application (revising form); ITC-ASG/TC--International Section 214 
Authorization Assignment or Transfer of Control of Authorization 
(revising form); ITC-FCN--International Section 214 Authorization 
Foreign Carrier Notification (revising form); ITC-STA--International 
Section 214 Authorization Special Temporary Authority (revising form); 
ITC-AMD--International Section 214 Authorization Amendment (new form); 
ITC-MOD--International Section 214 Authorization Modification (new 
form); ITC-RPT--International Section 214 Authorization Dominant 
Carrier Quarterly Reports (new form); ITC-WAV--International Section 
214 Authorization Waiver Request (new form); and, ITC-DSC--
International Section 214 Authorization Discontinuance of Service (new 
form).
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 228 respondents; 648 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour to 120 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(j), 10, 11, 201-205, 214, 218, 
403, and 651 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,709 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $992,830.
    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) 
is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve a 
revision of OMB Control No. 3060-0686 to incorporate changes from three 
Commission orders: the Mandatory Electronic Filing Order, FCC 21-87, 
the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order, FCC 20-122 and the 2021 
Executive Branch Standard Questions Order, FCC 21-104. The Commission 
also seeks approval for online electronic forms that are currently 
under development as part of the Commission's modernization of its 
online, web-based electronic filing system--the International Bureau 
Filing System (IBFS). To improve the Commission's collection of 
information related to international section 214 authorizations 
(international 214s) and to incorporate the new requirements, the 
Commission revised current application forms and added new forms.
    First, the Mandatory Electronic Filing Order requires that any 
remaining applications and reports administered by the International 
Bureau that are filed on paper or through an alternative filing process 
should filed electronically once forms become available in IBFS. The 
Order sought to reduce costs and administrative burdens, and therefore 
to

[[Page 16254]]

result in greater efficiencies, facilitate faster and efficient 
communications, and overall improve transparency to the public.
    Second, the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order and the 2021 
Executive Branch Standard Questions Order create new requirements 
associated with certain applications, including international 214 
applications, with reportable foreign ownership that will be reviewed 
by the relevant Executive Branch agencies for national security, law 
enforcement, foreign policy and trade policy issues as well as other 
changes. In the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order, the Commission 
adopted rules and procedures to facilitate a more streamlined and 
transparent review process for coordinating applications with the 
Executive Branch agencies. The Commission also established firm time 
frames for the Executive Branch agencies to complete their review 
consistent with Executive Order 13913, which established the Committee 
for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States 
Telecommunications Services Sector (the Committee). Specifically, under 
the new rules, the Committee has 120 days for initial review, plus an 
additional 90 days for secondary assessment if the Committee determines 
that the risk to national security or law enforcement interests cannot 
be mitigated with standard mitigation measures. The Commission also 
adopted and codified five categories of information for which 
applicants must provide detailed and comprehensive information to the 
Committee.
    In the 2021 Executive Branch Standards Questions Order, the 
Commission adopted the Standard Questions--a baseline set of national 
security and law enforcement questions covering the five categories of 
information described above. The responses to the Standard Questions 
will replace the information that applicants currently provide to the 
Committee on an individualized basis. The Standard Questions consist of 
six separate questionnaires (based on subject matter) and a supplement 
for the provision of personally identifiable information (PII). Two of 
these questionnaires and the PII supplement are applicable to 
international 214s. International 214 applicants with reportable 
foreign ownership will be required to answer the questions, and file 
their responses, as well as a copy of the FCC application, directly 
with the Committee.
    Finally, the Commission is in the process of modernizing IBFS (IBFS 
Modernization). This includes developing new and revised international 
214 application forms to improve the Commission's information 
collection and comply with the new requirements. Until the electronic 
forms are approved, international 214 applicants are required to 
provide the information required by 2020 Executive Branch Review Order 
and the 2021 Executive Branch Standard Questions Order by filing 
current applications and filing separate documents into IBFS to comply 
with the rules. We estimate that the projected completion date for the 
modernized IBFS, including all international 214 application forms, 
will be September, 2023.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0944.
    Title: Cable Landing License Act, 47 CFR 1.767, 1.768, 1.40001, 
1.40003, Executive Order 10530.
    Form Number: SCL-LIC--Submarine Cable Landing License Application 
(revising form); SCL-STA--Submarine Cable Landing License Special 
Temporary Authority (revising form); SCL-FCN--Submarine Cable Landing 
License Foreign Carrier Affiliation (revising form); SCL-ASG/TC--
Submarine Cable Landing License Assignment or Transfer of Control of 
License (new form); SCL-LPN--Submarine Cable Landing License Landing 
Point Notification (new form); SCl_MOD--Submarine Cable Landing License 
Modification (new form); SCL-RPT--Submarine Cable Landing License 
Quarterly Report (new form); SCL-RWL--Submarine Cable Landing License 
Renewal (new form); and, SCL-WAV--Submarine Cable Landing License 
Waiver Request (new form).
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business and other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 46 respondents; 146 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 to 120 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, Quarterly 
reporting requirement, Recordkeeping requirement and third-party 
disclosure requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in the 
Submarine Cable Landing License Act of 1921, 47 U.S.C. 34-39, Executive 
Order 10530, Executive Order 13913, section 5(a), and the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i)-(j), 
155, 303(r), 309, and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 855 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $307,355.
    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) 
is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve 
revisions to OMB Control No. 3060-0944 to incorporate the new 
requirements adopted by the Commission in the 2020 Executive Branch 
Review Order, FCC 20-133 and in the 2021 Executive Branch Standard 
Questions Order, FCC 21-104. The Commission also seeks approval for 
online electronic forms that are currently under development as part of 
the Commission's modernization of its International Bureau Filing 
System (IBFS). To improve the Commission's collection of information 
related to submarine cable applications and to incorporate the new 
requirements, the Commission revised current submarine cable 
application forms and added new forms.
    First, the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order and the 2021 
Executive Branch Standard Questions Order create new requirements 
associated with certain applications, including submarine cable 
applications, with reportable foreign ownership that will be reviewed 
by the relevant Executive Branch agencies for national security, law 
enforcement, foreign policy and trade policy issues as well as other 
changes. In the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order, the Commission 
adopted rules and procedures to facilitate a more streamlined and 
transparent review process for coordinating applications with the 
Executive Branch agencies. The Commission also established firm time 
frames for the Executive Branch agencies to complete their review 
consistent with Executive Order 13913, which established the Committee 
for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States 
Telecommunications Services Sector (the Committee). Specifically, under 
the new rules, the Committee has 120 days for initial review, plus an 
additional 90 days for secondary assessment if the Committee determines 
that the risk to national security or law enforcement interests cannot 
be mitigated with standard mitigation measures. The Commission also 
adopted and codified five categories of information for which 
applicants must provide detailed and comprehensive information to the 
Committee.
    In the 2021 Executive Branch Standards Questions Order, the 
Commission adopted the Standard Questions--a baseline set of national 
security and law enforcement questions covering the five categories of 
information described above. The responses to the Standard Questions

[[Page 16255]]

will replace the information that applicants currently provide to the 
Committee on an individualized basis. The Standard Questions consist of 
six separate questionnaires (based on subject matter) and a supplement 
for the provision of personally identifiable information (PII). Two of 
these questionnaires and the PII supplement are applicable to submarine 
cables. Submarine cable applicants with reportable foreign ownership 
will be required to answer the questions and file their responses 
directly with the Committee.
    Second, the Commission is in the process of modernizing IBFS (IBFS 
Modernization), including developing new and revised submarine cable 
application forms to improve the Commission's information collection 
and comply with the new requirements. Until the electronic forms are 
approved, submarine cable applicants are required to provide the 
information required by 2020 Executive Branch Review Order and the 2021 
Executive Branch Standard Questions Order by filing current 
applications and filing separate documents into IBFS to comply with the 
rules. We estimate that the projected completion date for the 
modernized IBFS, including all cable landing license application forms, 
will be September, 2023.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1163.
    Title: 47 CFR 1.5001-1.5004 Regulations Applicable to Broadcast, 
Common Carrier, and Aeronautical Radio Licensees Under Section 310(b) 
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Form Number: ISP-PDR--Section 310(b) Petition for Declaratory 
Ruling (new form); ISP-AMD--Section 310(b) Petition for Declaratory 
Ruling Amendment; and, ISP-WAV Section 310(b) Petition for Declaratory 
Ruling Waiver Requet.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 21 respondents; 53 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour to 120 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On-occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 
154(i), 154(j), 155, 225, 303(r), 309, and 325(e).
    Total Annual Burden: 1,304 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $435,825.
    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) 
is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve a 
revision of OMB Control No. 3060-1163 to incorporate new requirements 
adopted by the Commission in the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order, 
FCC 20-133 and the 2021 Executive Branch Standard Questions Order, FCC 
21-104. The Commission also seeks approval for online electronic forms 
that are currently under development as part of the Commission's 
modernization of its online, web-based electronic filing system--the 
International Bureau Filing System (IBFS). The Commission has developed 
new IBFS forms to improve the Commission's collection of information 
related to foreign ownership petitions for declaratory ruling under 
section 310(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), 
(section 310(b) petitions or petitions) related to common carrier 
wireless, aeronautical en route and aeronautical fixed radio station 
licenses (collectively, wireless common carrier licenses) and to 
incorporate the new requirements.
    First, the 2020 Executive Branch Review Order and the 2021 
Executive Branch Standard Questions Order create new requirements 
associated with certain applications, including section 310(b) 
petitions that will be reviewed by the relevant Executive Branch 
agencies for national security, law enforcement, foreign policy and 
trade policy issues as well as other changes. In the 2020 Executive 
Branch Review Order, the Commission adopted rules and procedures to 
facilitate a more streamlined and transparent review process for 
coordinating applications with the Executive Branch agencies. The 
Commission also established firm time frames for the Executive Branch 
agencies to complete their review consistent with Executive Order 
13913, which established the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign 
Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector 
(the Committee). Specifically, under the new rules, the Committee has 
120 days for initial review, plus an additional 90 days for secondary 
assessment if the Committee determines that the risk to national 
security or law enforcement interests cannot be mitigated with standard 
mitigation measures. The Commission also adopted and codified five 
categories of information for which applicants must provide detailed 
and comprehensive information to the Committee.
    Second, in the 2021 Executive Branch Standards Questions Order, the 
Commission adopted the Standard Questions--a baseline set of national 
security and law enforcement questions covering the five categories of 
information described above. The responses to the Standard Questions 
will replace the information that petitioners currently provide to the 
Committee on an individualized basis. The Standard Questions consist of 
six separate questionnaires (based on subject matter) and a supplement 
for the provision of personally identifiable information (PII). 
Petitioners will be required to submit their responses to the Standard 
Questions and a copy of the section 310(b) petition, directly with the 
Committee. Broadcast petitioners will be required to answer the 
questions (PII supplement), and common carrier wireless petitioners 
will be required to answer the questions.
    Finally, the Commission is in the process of modernizing IBFS (IBFS 
Modernization). Common carrier wireless section 310(b) petitions are 
filed through IBFS while broadcast section 310(b) petitions are filed 
through the Media Bureau's Licensing and Management System (LMS) when 
submitted with a broadcast construction permit, assignment, or transfer 
of control application. The IBFS Modernization includes developing 
forms for the submission of petitions related to common carrier 
wireless licenses to improve the Commission's information collection 
and comply with the new requirements. Until the new IBFS forms are 
approved, common carrier wireless section 310(b) petitioners will be 
required to provide the information required by 2020 Executive Branch 
Review Order and the 2021 Executive Branch Standard Questions Order by 
filing current petitions and filing separate documents into IBFS to 
comply with the rules. We estimate that the projected completion date 
for the modernized IBFS, including all forms related to common carrier 
wireless section 310(b) petitions, will be September, 2023.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-05399 Filed 3-15-23; 8:45 am]
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