Supporting Statement OMB 3060-0297 (2023)

Section 80.503, Cooperative Use of Facilities 3060-0297

August 2023

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. Justification:

1. Section 80.503 requires that a licensee of a private coast station or marine utility station on shore may install ship radio stations on board United States commercial transport vessels of other persons. In each case these persons must enter into a written agreement verifying that the ship station licensee has the sole right of control of the ship stations, that the vessel operators must use the ship stations subject to the orders and instructions of the coast station or marine utility station on shore, and that the ship station licensee will have sufficient control of the ship station to enable it to carry out its responsibilities under the ship station license. A copy of the contract/written agreement must be kept with the station records and made available for inspection by Commission representatives.

The requirements contained in § 80.503 are necessary to ensure licensees which share private facilities operate within the specified scope of service, on a non‑profit basis, and do not function as communications common carriers providing ship‑shore public correspondence services.

The Commission is requesting an extension of this collection in order to obtain the three year clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in §§ 4, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, unless otherwise noted. Interpret or apply 48 Stat. 1064–1068, 1081–1105, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 151–155, 301–609; 3 UST 3450, 3 UST 4726, 12 UST 2377 unless otherwise noted.

This information collection does not affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the Privacy Act

2. The information is used by FCC personnel during inspection and investigations to insure compliance with applicable rules. If this information was not available enforcement efforts could be hindered; frequency congestion in certain bands could increase; and the financial viability of some public coast radiotelephone stations could be threatened.

3. Prior to finalizing rule makings the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau conducts an analysis to ensure that improved information technology may 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. The Commission does not require electronic means to be used with this collection of information; however, respondents can utilize electronic means if they choose to do so.

4. This agency does not impose a similar information collection on the respondents. There are 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 for evaluating and processing each application and to deter against possible abuses of the processes. There is not a significant economic impact on small businesses or entities as a result of this collection of information.

6. In this case conducting the "collection" less frequently equates to eliminating the requirement to have the documentation available. As indicated above, this could result in enforcement efforts being hindered, increased frequency congestion in certain bands, and the financial viability of some public coast stations being threatened.

7. Current data collection is consistent with 5 CFR 1320, except that the subject records are required to be retained for 10 years in order to coincide with the station license term. The retention of these records for 10 years imposes a negligible burden on the licensee while providing valuable information to FCC personnel to insure compliance with applicable rules and treaties.

8. The Commission published a 60-day public comment period which appeared in the Federal Register Notice on June 16, 2023 (88 FR 39425) seeking comment from the public on the information collection requirements contained in this collection. No PRA comments were received as a result of the Notice from the public.

9. Respondents will not receive any payments associated with this collection.

10. There is no need for confidentiality with this collection.

11. There are no requests of a sensitive nature considered or those considered a private matter being sought from the applicants on this collection.

12. Approximately 100 limited coast stations engage in sharing arrangements. Based on a review of such records, it is estimated that an average of 16 hours per year per station would be required for a professional staff member to prepare and amend such arrangements and keep records of the arrangements. Therefore, the total burden is:

Total Annual Burden Hours: 100 responses x 16 hours/response and record kept = 1,600 total annual burden hours.

Total Number of Respondents: 100.

Total Number of Responses: 100.

Total Annual “in-house” Cost: 100 responses x 16/response/record kept x $50.00/hour x 10% overhead = $88,000.

13. Estimate of cost to respondents: None.

a. There are no capital or start-up costs.

b. There are no operational or maintenance costs.

14. Estimated annual cost to the Federal Government: None.

15. There are no program changes or adjustments to this collection.

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 the certification statement.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

No statistical methods are employed.