[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 107 (Monday, June 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30315-30317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11827]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1013; OMB 3060-XXXX, FRS 30133]


Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval 
to Office of Management and Budget

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, 
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. Pursuant to the Small Business 
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it 
can further reduce the information collection burden for small business 
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed

[[Page 30316]]

information collection should be submitted on or before July 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function. Your comment must be submitted into 
www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In 
addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your 
comment on the proposed information collection to Cathy Williams, FCC, 
via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6a3a382b2a0c0909440d051c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d1d1f0c0d2b2e2e632a223b">[email protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d99ab8adb1a0f78eb0b5b5b0b8b4aa99bfbabaf7beb6af"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eead8f9a8697c0b9878282878f839dae888d8dc0898198">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the 
comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-
2918. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) 
submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the web page called ``Currently 
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the 
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4) 
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the Title of this ICR and 
then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to 
OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission 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.
    As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to 
take this opportunity to comment on the following information 
collection. 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 estimates; (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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 
2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks 
specific comment on how it might ``further reduce the information 
collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees.''

    OMB Control Number: 3060-1013.
    Title: Mitigation of Orbital Debris.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of an existing collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 46 respondents; 46 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, and 310.
    Total Annual Burden: 368 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $88,550.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: On April 24, 2020, the Commission released a Report 
and Order, FCC 20-54, IB Docket No. 18-313, titled ``Mitigation of 
Orbital Debris in the New Space Age'' (Orbital Debris Report and 
Order). In this Orbital Debris Report and Order, the Commission updated 
its rules related to orbital debris mitigation, including application 
requirements. The new rules are designed to ensure that the 
Commission's actions concerning radio communications, including 
licensing U.S. spacecraft and granting access to the U.S. market for 
non-U.S. spacecraft, mitigate the growth of orbital debris, while at 
the same time not creating undue regulatory obstacles to new satellite 
ventures. The action will help to ensure that Commission decisions are 
consistent with the public interest in space remaining viable for 
future satellites and systems and the many services that those systems 
provide to the public. The rule revisions also provide additional 
detail to applicants on what information is expected under the 
Commission's rules, which can help to increase certainty in the 
application filing process. While this information collection 
represents an overall increase in the burden hours, the information 
collection serves the public interest by ensuring that the Commission 
and public have necessary information about satellite applicants' plans 
for mitigation of orbital debris.
    Specifically, FCC 20-54 contains the new or modified information 
collection requirements listed below, applicable to applicants seeking 
experimental licenses for satellite operations under part 5 of the 
Commission's rules, as well as to license grantees under part 97 
submitting notifications to the Commission prior to launch of a 
satellite amateur station:
    (1) Existing disclosure requirements have been revised to include 
specific metrics in several areas, including: Probability that the 
space stations will become a source of debris by collision with small 
debris and meteoroids that would cause loss of control and prevent 
disposal; probability of collision between any non-geostationary orbit 
(NGSO) space station and other large objects; and casualty risk 
associated with any individual spacecraft that will be disposed by 
atmospheric re-entry.
    (2) Where relevant, the disclosures must include the following: Use 
of separate deployment devices, distinct from the space station launch 
vehicle, that may become a source of orbital debris; potential release 
of liquids that will persist in droplet form; and any planned proximity 
operations and debris generation that will or may result from the 
proposed operations, including any planned release of debris, the risk 
of accidental explosions, the risk of accidental collision, and 
measures taken to mitigate those risks.
    (3) The existing disclosure requirement to analyze potential 
collision risk associated with space station(s) orbits has been 
modified to specify that the disclosure identify characteristics of the 
space station(s)' orbits that may present a collision risk, including 
any planned and/or operational space stations in those orbits, and 
indicate what steps, if any, have been taken to coordinate with the 
other spacecraft or system, or what other measures the operator plans 
to use to avoid collision.
    (4) For NGSO space stations that will transit through the orbits 
used by any inhabitable spacecraft, including the International Space 
Station, the disclosure must include the design and operational 
strategies, if any, that will be used to minimize the risk of collision

[[Page 30317]]

and avoid posing any operational constraints to the inhabitable 
spacecraft.
    (5) The disclosure must include a certification that upon receipt 
of a space situational awareness conjunction warning, the operator will 
review and take all possible steps to assess the collision risk, and 
will mitigate the collision risk if necessary. As appropriate, steps to 
assess and mitigate the collision risk should include, but are not 
limited to: Contacting the operator of any active spacecraft involved 
in such a warning; sharing ephemeris data and other appropriate 
operational information with any such operator; and modifying space 
station attitude and/or operations.
    (6) For NGSO space stations the disclosure must describe the extent 
of satellite maneuverability.
    (7) The disclosure must address trackability of the space 
station(s). For NGSO space stations the disclosure must also include: 
(a) How the operator plans to identify the space station(s) following 
deployment and whether the space station tracking will be active or 
passive; (b) whether, prior to deployment the space station(s) will be 
registered with the 18th Space Control Squadron or successor entity; 
and (c) the extent to which the space station operator plans to share 
information regarding initial deployment, ephemeris, and/or planned 
maneuvers with the 18th Space Control Squadron or successor entity, 
other entities that engage in space situational awareness or space 
traffic management functions, and/or other operators.
    (8) For NGSO space stations, additional disclosures must be 
provided regarding spacecraft disposal, including, for some space 
stations, a demonstration that the probability of success of the chosen 
disposal method is 0.9 or greater for any individual space station, and 
for multi-satellite systems, a demonstration including additional 
information regarding efforts to achieve a higher probability of 
success.
    These information collection requirements are contained in 47 CFR 
5.64 and 47 CFR 97.207.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Legacy High-Cost Support Recipient Initial Report of Current 
Service Offerings.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit 
institutions, and state, local or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: Up to 110 respondents and 110 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 154, 254 and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 1,760 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Most of the information 
collected under this collection will be made publicly available. 
However, in recognition of the fact that a carrier may consider the 
infrastructure information required to be submitted as part of its 
initial report to be sensitive, such infrastructure information will be 
treated as presumptively confidential by the Commission and the 
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and withheld from 
public inspection, although USAC will provide these data to the 
Commission and the relevant state, territory, and Tribal governmental 
entities that have jurisdiction over a particular service area, as 
applicable. To the extent that a respondent seeks to have other 
information collected in response to this information collection 
withheld from public inspection, the respondent may request 
confidential treatment pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's 
rules.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: A request for approval of this new information 
collection will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) after this 60-day comment period in order to obtain the full 
three-year clearance from OMB.
    On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the USF/ICC 
transformation Order (FCC 11-161) in which it comprehensively reformed 
and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation 
systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, 
both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the 
nation. In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the Commission, among 
other things, adopted a requirement that all eligible 
telecommunications carriers (ETCs) offer broadband service in their 
supported area that meets certain basic performance requirements and 
report regularly on associated performance measures as a condition of 
receiving federal high-cost universal service support.
    On October 27, 2020, the Commission adopted the 5G Fund Report and 
Order (FCC 20-150) in which it, among other things, helped to complete 
the reform of the high-cost program begun in the USF/ICC Transformation 
Order by adopting additional public interest obligations and 
performance requirements for legacy high-cost support recipients, whose 
broadband-specific public interest obligations for mobile wireless 
services were not previously detailed. The public interest obligations 
adopted in the 5G Fund Report and Order for each competitive ETC 
receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services require 
that such competitive ETC (1) use an increasing percentage of its 
legacy support toward the deployment, maintenance, and operation of 
voice and broadband networks that support 5G meeting the adopted 
performance requirements within its subsidized service area(s), and (2) 
meet specific 5G broadband service deployment coverage requirements and 
service deployment milestone deadlines that take into consideration the 
amount of legacy support the carrier receives.
    In order to gain a complete understanding of the current service 
offerings of each competitive ETC receiving legacy high-cost support 
for mobile wireless services, the Commission adopted rules that require 
each such competitive ETC to file an initial report containing 
information and certifications about (1) its current mobile service 
offerings in each of its subsidized service areas and how it is using 
legacy support, (2) whether it is offering mobile services in its 
subsidized service areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to 
those charged in urban areas, and (3) whether it has availed itself of 
the geographic flexibility granted by the Commission concerning its use 
of support within any other designated service area(s) for which it or 
an affiliated competitive ETC receives legacy support. See 47 CFR 
54.313(p), 54.322(g), (h). The information and certifications provided 
in these initial reports will be used by the Commission to ensure that 
competitive ETCs receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless 
services deploy 5G service by in their subsidized service areas 
consistent with the rules adopted by the Commission in the 5G Fund 
Report and Order.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-11827 Filed 6-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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