Notice2022-02601
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Licensing of Private Remote-Sensing Space Systems
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 8, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7156-7157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02601]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Licensing of Private Remote-Sensing Space Systems
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before April 11, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1f51505e5e314f4d5e5f71707e7e31787069"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="86c8c9c7c7a8d6d4c7c6e8e9e7e7a8e1e9f0">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0174 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Tahara Dawkins, Director, Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory
Affairs, 1335 East-West Highway, G101, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910;
301-713-3385; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#592d3831382b38773d382e3230372a1937363838773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e692878e879487c88287918d8f8895a688898787c8818990">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for revision and extension to an approved
information collection.
The Department of Commerce (DOC), through the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory
Affairs (CRSRA), has the authority to regulate private space-based
remote sensing under the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, 51
U.S.C. 60101 et seq. (the Act) and regulations at 15 CFR part 960. The
regulations facilitate the development of the U.S. private remote
sensing industry and thus promote the collection and widespread
availability of remote sensing data, while preserving essential U.S.
national security interests and observing international obligations.
Applications are made in response to the requirements in the Act,
as amended, and no collection forms are used. The application
information received is used to determine if the applicant meets the
legal criteria for issuance of a license to operate a private remote
sensing space system, i.e., the proposed system will be operated in
accordance with the Act, U.S. national security concerns and
international obligations. Application information includes information
about the applicant (such as corporate information), the launch dates
of any components going to space, and technical specifications of all
components (especially the components in space that are capable of
collecting imagery data).
If a licensee wishes to modify its license, either to reflect
changes in its business practices or technical changes to its system,
or to request different license conditions, it may submit such a
request to CRSRA and explain why the change is sought. CRSRA need this
information to be able to keep licenses accurate and to respond to the
regulated community's needs.
Licensees are required to notify CRSRA when a spacecraft launches
or deploys; upon disposal of an on-orbit component of the licensed
system; upon detection of an anomaly; and upon the licensee's financial
insolvency or dissolution. This information is critical to fulfilling
one of the United States' key international obligations, which is to
authorize and continually supervise U.S. nationals' activities in
space. CRSRA, therefore, must be notified when spacecraft are deployed
and disposed of so that CRSRA can supervise the space activities of
U.S. nationals. Similarly, anomalies may indicate loss of control of a
spacecraft, so CRSRA must monitor any anomalies to meaningfully
supervise the activities of U.S. nationals in space. Finally, the
financial insolvency or dissolution of a licensee may indicate that a
change in control of the spacecraft will follow, because an insolvent
licensee may go through a bankruptcy process that might put the
licensed system's ownership in question. It is critical that CRSRA be
able to intervene as early as possible in this process so that a
sensitive system does not pass into the ownership of an entity who
might jeopardize national security or international obligations.
CRSRA will require licensees to submit an annual compliance
certification, which requires the licensee to verify that all facts in
the license remain true. Facts that must be verified in this
certification include the technical specifications of the system and
other foundational facts that CRSRA relies upon in reviewing license
applications. This information is critical to ensuring that only those
entities who are legally fit to obtain a license do so.
NOAA is proposing to add two additional forms to this information
collection. The optional information is being collected to reduce the
total paperwork required to support regulation of the private space-
based remote sensing industry, which involves (1) determining whether
an applicant is required to apply for a license and (2) comparing the
capabilities of remote sensing systems to other foreign and domestic
remote sensing systems.
The optional Initial Contact Form (ICF) information includes
contact information and general remote sensing system information. The
ICF may be submitted electronically through the NOAA website prior to
the submission of a full application. The ICF information received is
used to determine if the applicant is required to submit a full
application for the issuance of a license to operate a private remote
sensing space system i.e., the proposed system falls under the
authority defined in the Act and the regulations. If NOAA determines
after reviewing the ICF that an application is not required, the
potential applicant will save 40-50 hours of paperwork by
[[Page 7157]]
not submitting the application. Additionally, the ICF gives NOAA the
opportunity to provide early feedback and guidance on an application
package, lowering the likelihood of time-consuming rewrites and edits
to an application before it can be deemed complete. Therefore, the ICF
can save significant time for industry and private entities, as well as
government time.
The optional Data Availability Notification (DAN) information
includes contact information and general data availability information.
The DAN may be submitted electronically through the NOAA website during
the application process, while an applicant holds a license, or by any
interested party. The DAN information received is used to help
determine the availability of unenhanced data from a foreign or
domestic remote sensing system, which may then be compared to
unenhanced data produced by an applicant's system for the purpose of
adjusting the conditions and/or restrictions in a license. The DAN form
ensures that only required information is submitted, thereby reducing
unnecessary paperwork and/or follow-up correspondence.
II. Method of Collection
Information is collected electronically through the NOAA website.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0174.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular (revision and extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Time per Response: 15 hours for the submission of a
license application; 1 hour each for the submission of a license
amendment, notification of disposal of on-orbit component, notification
of detection of anomaly, and notification of financial insolvency or
dissolution; 2 hours each for notification of launch or deployment of
spacecraft and the annual compliance certification; 20 minutes for the
Initial Contact Form; and 10 minutes for the Data Availability
Notification.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 450 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory. The ICF and DAN are voluntary.
Legal Authority: Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, 51 U.S.C.
60101 et seq; and 15 CFR part 960--Licensing of Private Remote Sensing
Space Systems.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-02601 Filed 2-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-HR-P
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