[Federal Register: November 15, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 220)]
[Notices]
[Page 64221-64222]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15no07-68]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the
Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested
November 8, 2007.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment
on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency 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
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control
number. 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 estimate; (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.
DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be
submitted on or before January 14, 2008. 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 contacts
listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: You may submit all PRA comments by e-mail or U.S. mail. To
submit your comments by e-mail, send them to PRA@fcc.gov. To submit
your comments by U.S. mail, send them to Jerry Cowden, Federal
Communications Commission, Room 1-B135, 445 12th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20554.
[[Page 64222]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the
information collection(s) contact Jerry Cowden via e-mail at
PRA@fcc.gov or at 202-418-0447.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: None.
Title: Information Collection regarding Emergency Backup Power for
Communications Assets as set forth in the Commission's rules (47 CFR
12.2).
Form No.: Not applicable.
Type of Review: New collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 73 respondents; 93 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 70.32 hours (average).
Frequency of Response: One-time reporting.
Obligation to Respond: Mandatory.
Total Annual Burden: 6,540 hours.
Total Annual Cost: None.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: This information collection does not
affect individuals or households, and therefore a privacy impact
assessment is not required.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: All reports and plans
required by Section 12.2 of the Commission's rules will be
automatically afforded confidentiality because the information in these
reports and plans is sensitive for both national security and/or
commercial reasons.
Needs and Uses: The Commission, in order to help fulfill its
statutory obligation to make wire and radio communications services
available to all people in the United States for the purpose of the
national defense and promoting safety of life and property, adopted an
Order (FCC 07-107) that includes an emergency backup power rule
(section 12.2). This rule, as modified in an Order on Reconsideration
(FCC 07-177) obligates certain specified local exchange carriers (LECs)
and commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers to file a report
that enumerates whether the carriers meet the emergency backup power
requirement for certain assets specified by the rule.
Specifically, Section 12.2(c) requires LECs and CMRS providers to
file reports with the Commission that identify the following
information: (1) Each asset that was designed to comply with the
applicable backup power requirement; (2) each asset where compliance is
precluded due to risk to safety or life or health; (3) each asset where
compliance is precluded by private legal obligation or agreement; (4)
each asset where compliance is precluded by Federal, state, tribal or
local law; and (5) each asset that was designed with less than the
required emergency backup power capacity and that is not precluded from
compliance by risk to safety of life or health, private legal
obligation or agreement, or Federal, state, tribal or local law. LECs
and CMRS providers must file these reports within six months of the
effective date of this requirement, which is the date of Federal
Register notice announcing OMB approval of the information collection
contained in section 12.2 of the Commission's rules. LECs and CMRS
providers must include a description of facts supporting the basis of
the LECs or CMRS provider's claim of preclusion from compliance based
on risk to safety of life or health, private legal obligation or
agreement, or Federal, state, tribal or local law.
Additionally, LECs and CMRS providers identifying assets designed
with less than the emergency backup power capacity required in section
12.2(a) and not otherwise precluded from compliance for one of the
three reasons identified in section 12.2(b) must comply with the backup
power requirement or file, within 12 months from the effective date of
section 12.2, a certified emergency backup power compliance plan that
is subject to Commission review. The emergency backup power compliance
plan must certify and describe how, in the event of a commercial power
failure, the LEC or CMRS provider will provide emergency backup power
to 100 percent of the area covered by any non-compliant asset, relying
on on-site and/or portable backup power sources or other sources as
appropriate. This emergency backup power must be sufficient for service
coverage as follows: A minimum of 24 hours for assets inside central
offices and eight hours for other assets such as cell sites, remote
switches, and digital loop carrier system remote terminals.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 07-5697 Filed 11-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P