81 FR 96453 - Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 251 (December 30, 2016)

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 251 (Friday, December 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96453-96454]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31722]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-XXXX]


Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 
the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collections. Comments are 
requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Commission, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to 
enhance the

[[Page 96454]]

quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on the 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the 
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be subject to any 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject 
to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before January 30, 
2017. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find 
it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, 
you should advise the contacts below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Kimberly R. Keravuori, OMB, via 
email [email protected]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via 
email [email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the comments 
the OMB control number as shown in the Supplementary Information 
section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991. 
To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted 
to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the Web page called ``Currently 
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the 
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4) 
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of 
this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC 
submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Connect America Fund--High Cost Portal Filing.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,526 unique respondents; 
3,595 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours--30 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly reporting 
requirements, annual reporting requirements, one-time reporting 
requirement and recordkeeping requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 151-154, 155, 201-206, 214, 218-220, 251, 252, 254, 256, 303(r), 
332, 403, 405, 410, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 65,713 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: We note that USAC must 
preserve the confidentiality of certain data obtained from respondents; 
must not use the data except for purposes of administering the 
universal service programs or other purposes specified by the 
Commission; and must not disclose data in company-specific form unless 
directed to do so by the Commission. Respondents may request materials 
or information submitted to the Commission or the Administrator 
believed confidential to be withheld from public inspection under 47 
CFR 0.459 of the FCC's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting approval for this new 
information collection. In March 2016, the Commission adopted an order 
reforming its universal service support program in areas served by 
rate-of-return carriers. Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 
10-90 et al., Report and Order, Order and Order on Reconsideration, and 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 16-33 (Rate-of-Return 
Order). Also, in May 2016, the Commission adopted rules to implement a 
competitive bidding process for Phase II of the Connect America Fund. 
Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90 et al., Report and 
Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 16-64 (Phase II 
Auction Order).
    This information collection addresses the requirement that certain 
carriers with high cost reporting obligations must file information 
about their locations which meet their broadband deployment public 
interest obligations via an electronic portal (``portal''). The Rate-
of-Return Order required that the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC) establish the portal so that carriers could file their 
location data with the portal starting in 2017. The Rate-of-Return 
Order required all recipients of Phase II model-based support and rate-
of-return carriers to submit geocoded location data and related 
certifications to the portal. Recipients of Phase II model-based 
support had been required to file such information in their annual 
reports due by July 1. The Phase II Auction Order requires auction 
winners to build-out networks capable of meeting their public interest 
obligations and report, to an online portal, locations to which auction 
winners had deployed such networks. This collection also implements the 
Rate-of-Return Order by moving and revising the currently approved 
requirements under OMB Control Numbers 3060-1200 and 3060-0986 to 
enable recipients of Phase II model-based support and rural broadband 
experiment funding to file their location information and associated 
reports and certifications in the portal instead of on the FCC Form 481 
or as is currently required.

Federal Communications Commission.
Katura Howard,
Federal Register Liaison Officer. Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-31722 Filed 12-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P