[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 204 (Thursday, October 22, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 56644-56645] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-28316] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval October 16, 1998. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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(s), 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, 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 information techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before November 23, 1998. 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 comments to Les Smith, Federal Communications, Room 234, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington, DC 20554 or via internet to [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies of the information collections contact Les Smith at 202-418-0217 or via internet at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Approval Number: 3060-0168. Title: Section 43.43, Reports of Proposed Changes in Depreciation Rates. Form Number: N/A. Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection. Respondents: Business and other for-profit entities. Number of Respondents: 11. Estimated Time Per Response: 6,000 hours. Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping; On occasion reporting requirements. Total Annual Burden: 66,000 hours. Cost to Respondents: None. Needs and Uses: Section 220(b) of the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act), as amended (47 U.S.C. Section 220(b)), states that the FCC may prescribe depreciation charges for the subject carriers. Section 219 of the Act requires annual and other reports from the carriers. Section 43.43 of the Commission's Rules (47 C.F.R. Section 43.43) establishes the reporting requirements for depreciation prescription purposes. Communication common carriers with annual operating revenues of $112 million or more that the Commission has found to be dominant must file information specified in Sec. 43.43 before making any change in the depreciation rates applicable to their operating plant. Section 220 also allows the Commission, in its discretion, to prescribe the forms of any and all accounts, records, and memoranda to be kept by carriers subject to the Act, including the accounts, records, and memoranda of the movement of traffic, as well as receipts and expenditures of monies. The Communication Act, as amended, seeks to develop efficient competition by opening all telecommunications markets through a pro- competitive, deregulatory national policy framework. To that end, Section 11 of the Act requires the Commission, in every even-numbered year beginning in 1998, to review its regulations applicable to providers of telecommunications service to determine whether the regulations are no longer necessary in the public interest as a result of meaningful economic competition between providers of such service and whether such regulations should be repealed or modified. In the attached NPRM, the Commission proposes to reduce or streamline further our depreciation prescription process by permitting summary filings and eliminating the prescription of depreciation rates for incumbent LECs, provided that the carrier uses depreciation factors that are within the ranges adopted by the Commission, expanding the prescribed range for the digital switching plant account, and eliminating salvage from the depreciation process. We also seek comment on whether we should permit carriers to set their own depreciation rates if they are willing to waive the automatic low-end adjustment. These proposed modifications are designed to minimize the reporting burden on carriers and to provide incumbent LECs with a greater flexibility to adjust their depreciation rates while allowing the commission to maintain adequate oversight. If we remove net salvage from the depreciation process, we should create a new account 6566, Net cost of removal, to record both salvage receipts [[Page 56645]] and removal costs incurred. We also tentatively conclude that we revise Secs. 32.3100, Accumulated depreciation, and 32.2000, Instructions for telecommunications plant accounts, to eliminate the provisions that salvage and cost removal be recorded in the depreciation reserve account. We also request comment on whether we should require carriers to keep subsidiary record categories in Account 6566 for salvage and cost of removal. If adopted, these proposals may have an impact on OMB control number 3060-0370. However, at this time we do not believe that the impact will be significant. Federal Communications Commission. Magalie Roman Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. 98-28316 Filed 10-21-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-10-P