Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 88390-88391 [2023-28096]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 244 (Thursday, December 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88390-88391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28096]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1003; FR ID 191626]


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.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before February 
20, 2024. 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, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control 
number. No

[[Page 88391]]

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.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1003.
    Title: Communications Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government; Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 400 respondents; 104,000 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour--1.5 hours (average per 
response).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion and Annual Reporting 
Requirements and Recordkeeping Requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. Statutory authority for this 
collection is contained in sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 4(o), 251(e)(3), 
254, 301, 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 307, 309(a), 309(j), 316, 332, and 
403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and section 706 of 
the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i)-(j) & (o), 
251(e)(3), 254, 301, 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 332, 403, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 16,320 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission launched the Disaster Information 
Reporting System (DIRS) in 2007 pursuant to its mandate to promote the 
safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio 
communication as required by the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended. DIRS is a voluntary, efficient, and web-based system that 
communications companies may use to report their infrastructure status 
during times of crisis (e.g., related to a disaster). DIRS uses a 
number of template forms tailored to different communications sectors 
(i.e., wireless, wireline, broadcast, and cable) to facilitate the 
entry of this information. To use DIRS, a company first inputs its 
emergency contact information. After this, they submit information 
using the template form appropriate for their communications sector. In 
a Second Report and Order adopted on March 18, 2021, as FCC 21-34, the 
Commission adopted rules allowing certain federal, state, and Tribal 
Nation agencies (Participating Agencies) to access to certain 
geographically relevant reports filed in the Commission's Disaster 
Information Reporting System (DIRS). The information collections and 
record keeping provisions adopted will allow Participating Agencies to 
apply for, and receive access to, DIRS report in the areas where they 
have jurisdiction. The collection will further enable these 
Participating Agencies, at their election, to share DIRS reports with 
qualified local agencies whose jurisdiction is affected by a disaster, 
while still maintaining the confidentiality of the substantive data. 
The changes to the data collections fields in the DIRS filings made by 
service providers will further facilitate the ability of Participating 
Agencies to access those reports relevant to their specific 
geographies. Finally, the changes to the information collection and 
associated recordkeeping requirements, including retention by 
participating agencies of qualification forms submitted by local agency 
seeking access to DIRS data, as well as a list of which local agencies 
receive information from the Participating Agency, training materials 
setting clear parameters for the use of DIRS data, and a list of those 
persons granted DIRS account access, will enable auditing functions to 
ensure accountability in the use of DIRS information and immediate 
reporting of breaches of access or confidentiality protocols.
    The Commission notes that the information sharing framework 
established in the Second Report and Order allows for access to be 
granted not only for DIRS, but also to the Commission's Network Outage 
Reporting System (NORS). We note that the process and requirements for 
Participating Agencies under this framework is identical, regardless of 
whether they seek access to NORS, DIRS, or both. Because the Commission 
anticipates that NORS and DIRS access will be requested together in 
most cases, it believes that the estimated burden hours and costs for 
Participating Agencies associated with DIRS access are fully included 
in the estimates that it has separately submitted as part of its 
collection on Part 4 of the Commission's Rules Concerning Disruptions 
to Communications, OMB Control No. 3060-0484. To avoid double-counting 
the estimated burden hours and costs associated with both collections, 
the Commission estimates the marginal cost of the Participating Agency 
aspect of this collection to be zero.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-28096 Filed 12-20-23; 8:45 am]
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