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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 97611-97612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28783]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0207; FR ID 266100]

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 
7, 2025. 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 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: 3060-0207. Title: Part 11--Emergency Alert 
System (EAS), Order, FCC 21-77.
    Form No.: 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.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 63,084 respondents; 3,588,845 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.017 hours-112 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting 
requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory and Voluntary. Statutory authority 
for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154(i) and 
606 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 141,414 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Needs and Uses: Part 11 contains rules and regulations addressing 
the nation's Emergency Alert System (EAS). The EAS provides the 
President with the capability to provide immediate communications and 
information to the general public during periods of national emergency 
over broadcast television and radio, cable, direct broadcast radio and 
other EAS Participants, as defined in section 11.11(a) of the 
Commission's rules The EAS also provides State and local governments 
and the National Weather Service with the capability to provide 
immediate communications and information to the public concerning 
emergency situations posing a threat to life and property. Part 11 
includes testing requirements to ensure proper and efficient operation 
of the EAS. State and local use of the EAS, alert processing 
requirements, and monitoring assignments covering the distribution of 
EAS alerts within the State, among other things, are required to be 
described in State EAS Plans that are administered by State Emergency 
Communications Committees (SECC) and submitted to the FCC annually for 
approval.
    The Order, PS Docket Nos. 15-91 and 15-94, FCC 21-77, pursuant to 
the directions set forth in Section 9201 of the William M. (Mac) 
Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, 
Public Law 116-283, 134 Stat. 3388, sec. 9201 (NDAA21), among other 
things, (i) requires the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau 
(Bureau) to establish a State EAS Plan Content Checklist composed of 
the content set forth in section 11.21 of the Commission's rules, (47 
CFR 11.21), post the checklist on the FCC's website, and incorporate it 
as an appendix in ARS user manual; (ii) amend the State EAS Plan 
requirements in section 11.21

[[Page 97612]]

of the Commission's rules to ensure plans are updated annually, require 
a certification by the SECC Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson that the 
SECC met (in person, via teleconference, or via other methods of 
conducting virtual meetings) at least once in the twelve months prior 
to submitting the annual updated plan, and require that the Bureau 
approve or reject State EAS Plans submitted for approval within 60 days 
of receipt; and (iii) require the Bureau to list the approval dates of 
State EAS Plans submitted on ARS on the Commission's website, and in 
the event a final decision is made to deny a plan, directly notify the 
chief executive of the State to which the plan applies of that 
determination and the reasons for such denial within 30 days of such 
decision. The Order also amends section 11.45 of the Part 11 rules to 
enable voluntary reporting to the Commission by the FEMA Administrator 
and Tribal, State, local or territorial governments of false EAS 
alerts.
    The Commission seeks OMB approval of these rule amendments as an 
extension of a previously approved information collection. Congress has 
determined that EAS rule changes are necessary to increase oversight 
over the distribution of State and local EAS alerts within States, and 
increase false alert reporting capabilities to help ameliorate 
confusion or other harmful effects that might result from false EAS 
alerts. The internal State EAS Plan processing requirements and rule 
changes adopted in the Order will improve State EAS Plan processing and 
administration, improving the capabilities and efficacy of EAS as a 
national system for distributing vital alert information to all 
Americans, and will do so in a cost-effective manner.
    The following information collections contained in Part 11 may be 
impacted by the rule amendments described herein.

State EAS Plans (47 CFR 11.21)

    The establishment of a State EAS Plan Content Checklist for SECCs 
should have no impact or lessen SECC burdens, and posting it on the 
FCC's website, and incorporating it as an appendix in the ARS user 
manual, are routine Bureau activities. The requirement to ensure State 
EAS Plans are updated annually already was contained in section 11.21, 
and thus does not represent a new burden.
    The amendment to include as a required element in the State EAS 
Plan, a certification (which will be incorporated into the ARS) by the 
SECC Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson that the SECC met (in person, via 
teleconference, or via other methods of conducting virtual meetings) at 
least once in the twelve months prior to submitting the annual updated 
plan to review and update their State EAS Plan should promote added 
diligence in SECC administration of State EAS Plans. The Commission 
estimates the burden to SECC members in complying with this requirement 
to be two hours per member.
    The rule amendment requiring the Bureau approve or reject State EAS 
Plans submitted for approval within 60 days of receipt does not impose 
new burdens on any entity. The Bureau already is charged with reviewing 
State EAS Plans. The internal requirement that the Bureau list the 
approval dates of State EAS Plans submitted on ARS on the Commission's 
website, and in the event a final decision is made to deny a plan, 
directly notify the chief executive of the State to which the plan 
applies of that determination and the reasons for such denial within 30 
days, does not impose new burdens on any entity. The Bureau already 
maintains a web page on the Commission's website dedicated to SECC and 
State EAS Plan information.

False EAS Alert Reporting (47 CFR 11.45)

    The amendment enabling the FEMA Administrator and Tribal, State, 
local or territorial governments to file reports of false EAS alerts 
provides another mechanism for the Commission to receive information 
concerning false EAS alerts, does not impose burdens on any entity. 
Should any permitted government entity voluntarily elect to file a 
false EAS alert report, the burden associated with this provision 
amounts to composing an email, which the Commission estimates will take 
an hour or less to prepare, and falls within the routine activities of 
government employees. False alert reports help the Commission to 
identify, investigate, correct and prevent false EAS activations, which 
enhances the EAS's efficacy and the public trust in the EAS.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-28783 Filed 12-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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