[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 121 (Monday, June 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35390-35391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14133]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

June 17, 2008.
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 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. Sections 3501-3520. An 
agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it 
displays a current valid 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 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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before August 22, 
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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: You may submit all PRA comments by e-mail or U.S. mail. To 
submit your comments by e-mail, send them to [email protected]. To submit 
your comments by U.S. mail, send them to Leslie F. Smith, Federal 
Communications Commission, Room 1-C216, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    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: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; and state, local, or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 6,494 respondents; 59,494 
responses.
    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 sought to provide rural health care providers 
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 are eligible for up to 85 percent of the costs associated 
with: (1) The construction of state or regional broadband health care 
networks and with the advanced telecommunications and information 
services provided over those networks; (2) connecting to Internet2 or 
National LambdaRail, which are both dedicated nationwide backbones; and 
(3) connecting to the public Internet. Approximately $417 million in 
universal service support over three years (or $139 million per funding 
year) will be available to these participants. 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 Form 
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.


[[Page 35391]]


Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-14133 Filed 6-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P