Part 11 - Emergency Alert
System (EAS), Order FCC 19-57
No
material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved
collection
No
Regular
05/21/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
12/31/2022
12/31/2022
3,588,830
3,588,830
140,751
140,751
0
0
The Commission is requesting approval
for non-substantive changes to the forms associated with the Alert
Reporting System (ARS) in collection 3060-0207. As stated in the
supporting statement, the FCC acknowledged in the 2019 revisions to
the EAS PRA collection commenters’ general requests, to include
“help” buttons on each of the online filing menu screens of ARS and
noted that help buttons would be included “in some form to be
determined in the final system requirements.” Following further
development of the system requirements, the FCC’s Public Safety and
Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau) determined that the ease
of filing could be further improved by replacing “help” buttons
with detailed instructions on how to complete each online filing
menu screen. The Bureau concluded that this approach will improve
the user experience by giving filers clear, context-specific
instructions on how to complete the page without needing to
unnecessarily click on an extra button. The collections in the
modified ARS forms are consistent with those approved by the Office
of Management and Budget in the 2019 revisions to the EAS PRA
collection set forth in the FCC’s State EAS Plan Report and Order.
The updates to this collection will cause no change in the burden
estimates or reporting and record keeping requirements that the
Commission submitted (and which OMB subsequently approved) in 2019.
The Commission is submitting this non-substantive change request
for OMB approval to an existing information collection. The FCC is
proposing non-substantive updates to previously approved
collections represented by the forms associated with the mandatory
electronic EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) that EAS Participants
must utilize to file identifying and test result data as part of
their participation in any authorized nationwide EAS tests
(3060-0207). The collections in the modified ETRS forms are
consistent with those approved by the Office of Management and
Budget in the 2011 and 2017 revisions to the EAS PRA collection set
forth in the FCC’s EAS Third Report and Order and in the related
2011 emergency request (and subsequent standard request) for
approval of the electronic version of that previously approved
collection (and the PRA filing made for the ETRS when it became a
mandatory filing mechanism in 2015). The current modification to
the ETRS is to improve and clarify the filing experience. Every
change requested either improves efficiency or clarifies previously
unclear points for the user. In some cases, we are proposing to
implement changes that users requested. The FCC’s Public Safety and
Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB or Bureau), working with the ETRS
developers, has made every effort to draft these modifications to
be minimal, non-material changes, consistent with previous OMB
approvals. The updates to this collection will cause no change in
the burden estimates or reporting and record keeping requirements
that the Commission submitted (and which OMB subsequently approved)
for the 2011 and 2017 systems. In the EAS Order on Reconsideration,
FCC 19-57 (rel. June 27, 2019), the Commission amends Part 11 of
its rules to (i) eliminate requiring Satellite Digital Audio Radio
Service (SDARS) providers to transmit weekly tests in favor of
requiring them to only log receipt of the weekly test, and (ii)
eliminate the requirement that SDARS providers transmit monthly
test on all channels in favor of requiring them to transmit the
monthly test on 10% of all of their channels, with channels tested
varying from month to month, so that over the course of a given
year, 100% of all of its channels are tested. This action
harmonizes the EAS testing requirements applied to SDARS service
with those applied to the similarly situated Direct Broadcast
Satellite service.
US Code:
47
USC 154(i) Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as
amended
US Code: 47
USC 606 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.