3060‑0286
April 2007
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
A. Justification:
1. The Commission is requesting an extension (no change in reporting requirements) in order to obtain the full three year clearance from them. The Commission is also reporting no change in the number of respondents or burden hours.
The reporting requirement contained in Section 80.302 is necessary to ensure that the U.S. Coast Guard is informed in a timely manner when a coast station which is responsible for maintaining a listening watch on a designated marine distress and safety frequency, discontinues, reduces or impairs its communication services. This notification allows the Coast Guard to seek an alternate means of providing radio coverage to protect the safety of life and property at sea or object to the planned diminution of service. A copy of the rule is attached.
Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in Secs. 4, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332 as amended; and 47 U.S.C. 151–155, 301–609; 3 UST 3450, 3 UST 4726, 12 UST 2377.
As noted on the Form OMB 83-I, this collection of information does not affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the Privacy Act.
2. The information is used by the U.S. Coast Guard district office nearest to the coast station. Once the Coast Guard is aware that such a situation exists, it is able to inform the maritime community that radio coverage has or will be affected and/or seek to provide coverage of the safety watch via alternate means. When appropriate the Coast Guard may file a petition to deny an application.
3. Prior to finalizing rule makings the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau conducts an analysis to insure that improved information technology cannot be used to reduce the burden on the public. This analysis considers the possibility of obtaining and/or computer‑generating the required data from existing data bases in the Commission or other Federal agencies.
4. This agency does not impose a similar information collection on the respondents. There is no similar data available.
5. In conformance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commission is making an effort to minimize the burden on all respondents, regardless of size. The Commission has limited the information requirements to those absolutely necessary.
6. If the Coast Guard is not notified of the discontinuance, reduction or impairment of the service of a coast station which is required to maintain a listening watch on a designated distress and safety channel, the primary agency responsible for maritime search and rescue would be unaware of the gap in coverage and unable to take appropriate action if needed. Consequently, a decrease in the safety system designed to protect life and property at sea could occur.
7. There are no special circumstances which would require collections to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.6.
8. We published a Notice in the Federal Register on February 22, 2007 at 72 FR 7987, as required by 5 CFR Section 1320.8(d). No comments were received. A copy of the Notice is included in this submission to the OMB.
9. Respondents will not receive any payments.
10. There is no need for confidentiality.
11. This does not address any private matters of a sensitive nature.
12. There are approximately 160 coast stations per year that discontinue, reduce, or otherwise impair their service to the maritime public. Based on experience, it is estimated that a secretary or clerical employee would spend no more that one hour notifying the nearest U.S. Coast Guard district office of such an occurrence. Therefore, 160 respondents x 1 hour per response = 160 hours.
Estimate of cost to respondents: We assume that the respondent would use internal personnel to prepare the information. $15/hour x 160 responses x 1 hour = $2,400.
13. Estimate of cost to respondents: None.
14. Estimated annual cost to the Federal Government: None.
15. No change in burden is requested.
16. The data will not be published for statistical use.
17. We do not seek approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.
18. There were no exceptions to Item 19.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:
No statistical methods are employed.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | 3060-0286 |
| Author | JSHAFFER |
| File Modified | 2007-04-23 |
| File Created | 2007-04-23 |