[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)] [Notices] [Page 2647] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-975] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management and Budget January 5, 1999. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. For further information contact Shoko B. Hair, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418- 1379. Federal Communications Commission OMB Control No.: 3060-0149. Expiration Date: 11/30/2001. Title: Application and Supplemental Information Requirements--Part 63, Section 214, Sections 63.01-63.601. Form No.: N/A. Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Estimated Annual Burden: 255 respondents; 10.5 hours per response (avg.); 2550 total annual burden hours for all collections. Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0. Frequency of Response: On occasion. Description: Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Section 214, requires that a carrier must first obtain FCC authorization either to (1) construct, operate, or engage in transmission over a line of communication, or (2) discontinue, reduce, or impair service over a line of communication. 47 CFR Part 63 implements Section 214. See 47 CFR Sections 63.01-63.601 for information collection requirements. Part 63 also implements provisions of the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 pertaining to video programming by telephone common carriers. This approval also covers the information collections proposed in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, issued in CC Docket No. 97-11, Implementation of Section 402(b)(2)(A) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Section 214--Extensions of Lines), released January 13, 1997. In the NPRM, the Commission proposed to modify 47 CFR Part 63 to eliminate information submission requirements entirely for some categories of communications carriers and to reduce the submission requirements for other categories. The Commission proposed entirely eliminating the requirement for carriers to file applications for line ``extensions'' because Congress has exempted line ``extensions'' from the requirements of 47 U.S.C. 214, under Section 402(b)(2)(A) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Commission also proposed eliminating the requirement for reports submitted by carriers identified by the Commission as domestic non- dominant carriers, small carriers, and carriers proposing small projects. Congress enacted section 214 to prevent unnecessary duplication of facilities that could result in increased rates being imposed on captive telephone ratepayers, and the Commission tentatively concluded that these carries are not likely to construct, operate, or acquire duplicative facilities. For carriers identified by the Commission as domestic dominant rate-of-return carriers, the Commission proposed reducing (but not entirely eliminating) the information submission requirements in applications for ``new'' lines, because the information is collected elsewhere, is unnecessary, is confusing in light of the provisions of section 402(b)(2)(A), or is no longer of decisional significance to the Commission. See CC Docket No. 97-11. The information received in applications from dominant carriers (proposed to be reduced) has been used by the Commission to determine if the facilities are needed. The information contained in reports from non- dominant carriers (proposed to be eliminated) has been used to monitor the growth of the networks and the availability of common carrier services in this segment of the telecommunications market, to relieve these carriers and the Commission of a before-the-fact review of each subsequent facility addition. These collections of information were deemed necessary to enable the Commission to comply with its mandate. Because Congress has changed the Commission's mandate in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the information proposed to be reduced and eliminated may no longer be warranted. Obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Public reporting burden for the collections of information is as noted above. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the collections of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden to Performance Evaluation and Records Management, Washington, D.C. 20554. Federal Communications Commission. Magalie Roman Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. 99-975 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-01-U