[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 235 (Friday, December 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69216-69217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23803]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collection(s) Requirement Submitted to OMB for 
Emergency Review and Approval

December 4, 2007.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for 
failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control 
number. Comments are requested concerning (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information collected; and (d) 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.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before January 7, 
2008. 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 listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget, via e-mail to [email protected] or via fax at 
202-395-5167, and to the Federal Communications Commission via e-mail 
to [email protected] or by U.S. mail to Leslie F. Smith, Federal 
Communications Commission, Room 1-C216, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection(s), contact Leslie F. Smith via e-mail at 
[email protected] or call (202) 418-0217. For further instructions on how to 
view a copy of this information collection request (ICR), go to this 
Web page: http://www.fcc.gob/omd/pra/collections-review.html.

[[Page 69217]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission has requested approval of 
this information collection under the emergency processing provisions 
of the PRA by January 22, 2008.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
    Title: Universal Service--Rural Health Care Program/Rural Health 
Care Pilot Program.
    Form Number(s): FCC Forms 465, 466, 466-A, and 467.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; and state, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 6,494.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.10-20 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping; on occasion, one time, 
annual, quarterly, and monthly reporting requirements; third party 
disclosure.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Total Annual Burden: 67,467 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $0.00.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No Impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not 
requesting that the respondents submit confidential information to the 
FCC. Respondents may, however, request confidential treatment for 
information they believe to be confidential under 47 CFR 0.459 of the 
Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: In the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), 
Congress specifically intended that rural health care providers be 
provided with ``an affordable rate for the services necessary for the 
provision of telemedicine and instruction relating to such services.'' 
In 1997, the Commission implemented this statutory directive by 
adopting the current Rural Health Care support mechanism, which 
provides universal service support to ensure that rural health care 
providers pay no more than their urban counterparts for their 
telecommunications needs and Internet access in the provision of health 
care services. Despite the Commission's efforts to increase the utility 
of the Rural Health Care support mechanism, the program has yet to 
fully achieve the benefits intended by the statute and the Commission. 
In particular, health care providers continue to lack access to the 
broadband facilities needed to support the types of advanced telehealth 
applications, like telemedicine, that are vital to bringing medical 
expertise and the advantages of modern health technology to rural areas 
of the Nation. In response, the Commission issued the 2007 Pilot 
Program Selection Order (WC Docket No. 02-60; FCC 07-198) which 
selected 69 participants for the universal service Rural Health Care 
Pilot Program (which was originally established by the Commission in 
September 2006). These 69 participants represent 42 states and 3 U.S. 
territories and will be eligible for approximately $417 million in 
universal service support over three years (or $139 million per funding 
year) to: (1) Support up to 85 percent of the costs associated with the 
construction of state or regional broadband health care networks and 
with the advanced telecommunications and information services provided 
over those networks; and (2) support up to 85 percent of the costs of 
connecting to Internet2 or National LambdaRail, which are both 
dedicated nationwide backbones, or to the public Internet. To minimize 
the burden on Pilot Program participants and to streamline the process, 
the Commission generally uses the same forms as the existing Rural 
Health Care support mechanism. For example, selected participants, in 
order to receive support, must submit an FCC Form 465 (seeking bids), 
FCC 466-A (selection of service provider), and FCC Form 467 
(notification of service initiation). Due to the unique structure of 
the Pilot Program, however, in the 2007 Pilot Program Selection Order, 
the Commission provides guidance regarding how these forms should be 
completed and additional information is required from selected 
participants, including, proposed network costs worksheets, 
certifications, letters of agency from each participating health care 
provider, invoices showing actual incurred costs, and, if applicable, 
network design studies.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-23803 Filed 12-6-07; 8:45 am]
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