[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 174 (Monday, September 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52045-52046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20743]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for 
Review to the Office of Management and Budget, Comments Requested

August 25, 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 (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501--3520. 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before October 8, 2008. If you anticipate that you will 
be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the 
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC 
contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget, (202) 395-5887, or via fax at 202-395-5167 or 
via Internet at [email protected] and to Judith-B. 
[email protected], Federal Communications Commission, or an e-mail to 
[email protected]. To view a copy of this information collection request 
(ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://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

[[Page 52046]]

list of agencies presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the 
``Submit'' button to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, and (6) 
when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the 
title of this ICR (or its OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then 
click on the ICR Reference Number to view detailed information about 
this ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection(s), contact Judith B. Herman at 202-418-
0214 or via the Internet at Judith-B.[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
    Title: Universal Service--Rural Health Care Program.
    Form Nos.: 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 government.
    Number of Respondents: 6,494 respondents; 59,464 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10-20 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, monthly, quarterly, annual, and 
one-time reporting requirements, and third party disclosure 
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(i), 154(j), 201-205, 214, 254, and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 67,468 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality. However, respondents may request material or 
information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public 
inspection by requesting confidential treatment of their documents 
under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission submitted this information 
collection to the OMB as an emergency request and received OMB approved 
on January 17, 2008. The Commission is now submitting this information 
collection (IC) to the OMB as an extension (no change in reporting, 
recordkeeping and/or third party disclosure requirements) during this 
comment period to obtain the full three-year clearance from them. Due 
to a mathematical error in the emergency request, the Commission is 
reporting a -952 hourly adjustment to the total annual burden.
    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 advantage 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 
Internet 2 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 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 FCC Form 465 
(seeking bids), FCC Form 466 (funding request and certification), 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.
    The information collected provides the Commission with the 
necessary information to administer the existing program and the Pilot 
Program, determine the amount of support applicants are eligible to 
receive, and inform the Commission about the feasibility of revising 
its rules.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-20743 Filed 9-5-08; 8:45 am]
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