Supporting statement OMB 3060-xxxx #2 (FCC 23-72) final

OMB Control Number: 3060-xxxx December 2023

Title: Section 73.619, Contours and service areas; Section 73.625, TV antenna system; Section 73.5006, Filing of petitions to deny against long-form applications; Section 73.6024, Transmission standards and system requirements; Section 73.6025, Antenna system and station location

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. Justification:

1. The Commission adopted on September 18, 2023, the Report and Order (R&O), Amendment of Part 73 of the Commission’s Rules to Update Television and Class A Television Broadcast Station Rules, and Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations, MB Docket No. 22-227, FCC 23-72. The R&O adopted a number of revisions to the Commission’s rules to reorganize and clarify the Commission’s technical licensing, operating, and interference rules for full power and Class A television.

47 CFR 73.619(b)(5) requires that in determining coverage, the elevation or contour intervals must be taken from a high quality bald earth map or dataset such as the United States Geological Survey Topographic Quadrangle Maps or the National Elevation Dataset. We include these updates for informational purposes, but these changes do not impact an existing information collection or create a new collection.

47 CFR 73.625(c)(3)(v) requires that all azimuth plane patterns be plotted in a PDF attachment to an application in a size sufficient to be easily viewed; paragraph (vii) requires that if an elevation pattern is submitted in the application form, similar tabulations and PDF attachments must be provided for the elevation pattern; and paragraph (viii) requires that if a matrix pattern is submitted in the application form, similar tabulations must be provided as necessary in the form of a spreadsheet to accurately represent the pattern.

Similarly, 47 CFR 73.6025 requires that applications for modified Class A TV facilities proposing the use of directional antennas include the documentation in section 73.625(c)(3).

47 CFR 73.5006 requires that within ten days following the issuance of a public notice announcing that a long-form application for an AM, FM, or television construction permit has been accepted for filing, petitions to deny that application may be filed in the Commission’s Licensing and Management (LMS) database. We include these updates for informational purposes, but these changes do not impact an existing information collection or create a new collection.

47 CFR 73.6024 requires that a Class A station within 275 kilometers of the U.S.-Mexico border must specify the full service emission mask in an application on FCC Form 2100. We include these updates for informational purposes, but these changes do not impact an existing information collection or create a new collection.

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

Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in Section 154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

2. The data is used by FCC staff in licensing matters, and to determine that the licensee has met statutory requirements and operated in the public interest.

3. We do not believe the use of information technology is burdensome in this situation.

4. No other agency imposes 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.

6. The frequency for this collection of information is determined by respondents, as necessary.

7. This collection of information is consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. The Commission published a Notice (88 FR 70980) in the Federal Register on October 13, 2023 seeking comments on the information collection requirements contained in this collection. The Commission received no comments following publication of the Notice.

9. No payment or gift was provided to the respondents.

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

11. This collection of information does not address any private matters of a sensitive nature.

12. Number of Respondents: The following is estimated for public burden:

Total Number of Respondents: 100

Total number of Annual Responses: 100 responses

Rule Sections	Notifications and Reports	Respondent’s Burden Estimates	Hourly Burden	Hourly Cost Burden	Total “In House “Cost
Sections 73.625(c) and 6025	100 applications	0.5 hours/report	50 hours	$48.08/hour	$2,404.00
Totals	100 applications		50 hours		$2,404.00

Total Annual Burden Hours: 50 hours¹

Annual Cost: We assume that the respondents would use a consulting engineer to prepare and file applications. The consulting engineer is estimated to have an average salary of $48.08/hour. Therefore, the annual cost is $2,404.00.

These estimates are based on FCC staff's knowledge and familiarity with the availability of the data required.

13. Annual Cost Burden:

1. Total annualized capital/startup costs: None

2. Total annual costs (O&M): None

(c) Total annualized cost requested: None

14. Cost to the Federal Government: The Commission will use staff at the GS-12, step 5 level ($51.15) to process the application filings/Sections 73.625(c) and 73.6025.

100 applications x 0.25 hours x $51.15 = $1,278.75

Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government = $1,278.75

15. This is a new information collection. Therefore, the following program changes will be added to OMB’s inventory once the collection is approved. These program changes are as a result of the rules adopted in FCC 23-72. They are as follows: 100 respondents, 100 responses and 50 burden hours.

16. The data will not be published.

17. OMB approval of the expiration of the information collection will be displayed on OMB’s website.

18. There are no exceptions to the Certification Statement.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

This information collection does not employ any statistical methods.

1 This burden also includes the burden for keeping records of the various files.

5