[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1486-1487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-233]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. 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; (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; and (e) 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 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 Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before March 12, 
2012. 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: Direct all PRA comments to the Federal Communications 
Commission via email to [email protected] and [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0027.
    Title: Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast 
Station, FCC Form 301.
    Form Number: FCC Form 301.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business and other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
entities; State, local or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 4,604 respondents and 8,040 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1-6.25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 20,497 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: $90,659,382.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
Sections 154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Impact Assessment(s): No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On January 28, 2010, the Commission adopted a First 
Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (``First 
R&O'') in MB Docket No. 09-52, FCC 10-24. To enhance the ability of 
federally recognized Native American Tribes to provide vital radio 
services to their citizens on Tribal lands, in the First R&O the 
Commission established a Tribal Priority for use in its radio licensing 
procedures. On March 3, 2011, the Commission adopted a Second Report 
and Order (``Second R&O''), First Order on Reconsideration, and Second 
Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making in MB Docket No. 09-52, FCC 11-
28. On December 28, 2011, the Commission adopted a Third Report and 
Order in MB Docket No. 09-52, FCC 11-190 (``Third R&O''). In the Third 
R&O the Commission further refined the use of the Tribal Priority in 
the commercial FM context, specifically adopting a ``threshold 
qualifications'' approach to commercial FM application processing.
    In the commercial FM context, the Tribal Priority is applied at the 
allotment stage of the licensing process. A Tribe or Tribal entity 
initiates the process by petitioning that a new Tribal Allotment be 
added to the FM Table of Allotments using the Tribal Priority. A 
petitioner seeking to add a Tribal Allotment to the FM Table of 
Allotments, like all other FM allotment proponents, must file FCC Form 
301 when submitting its Petition for Rule Making. Under the new 
``threshold qualification'' procedures adopted in the Third R&O, once a 
Tribal Allotment has been successfully added to the FM Table of 
Allotments using the Tribal Priority through an FM allocations 
rulemaking, the Commission will announce by Public Notice a Threshold 
Qualifications Window (``TQ Window''). During the TQ Window, any Tribe 
or Tribal entity that could qualify to add that particular Tribal 
Allotment may file an FCC Form 301 application for that Tribal 
Allotment. Such an applicant must demonstrate that it meets all of the 
eligibility criteria for the Tribal Priority, just as the original 
Tribal Allotment proponent did at the allotment stage. If it wishes its 
previously filed Form 301 application to be considered at this stage, 
then during the TQ Window the original Tribal Allotment proponent must 
submit notice to process its pending Form 301 application immediately.
    If only one acceptable application is filed during the TQ Window, 
whether by the original Tribal allotment proponent submitting 
notification to process its previously filed Form 301, or by another 
qualified applicant, that application will be promptly processed and 
the Tribal Allotment will not be auctioned. In the event that two or 
more acceptable applications are filed during the TQ Window, the 
Commission will announce a limited period in which the parties may 
negotiate a settlement or bona fide merger, as a way of resolving the 
mutual exclusivity between their applications. If a settlement or 
merger is reached, the parties must notify the Commission and the staff 
will process the surviving application pursuant to the settlement or 
merger. If a settlement cannot be reached among the mutually exclusive 
applicants, the Tribal Allotment will be auctioned during the next 
scheduled FM auction. At that time, only the applicants whose 
applications were accepted for filing during the TQ Window, as well as 
the original Tribal Allotment proponent, will be permitted to bid on 
that particular Tribal Allotment. This closed group of mutually 
exclusive TQ Window applicants must comply with applicable established 
auction procedures.
    In the event that no qualifying party applies during the TQ Window, 
and the original Tribal allotment proponent

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requests that its pending Form 301 application not be immediately 
processed, the Tribal Allotment will be placed in a queue to be 
auctioned in the normal course for vacant FM allotments. When the 
Tribal Allotment is offered at auction for the first time, only 
applicants meeting the ``threshold qualifications'' may specify that 
particular Tribal Allotment on FCC Form 175, Application to Participate 
in an FCC Auction (OMB Control No. 3060-0600). Should no qualifying 
party apply to bid or qualify to bid on a Tribal Allotment in the first 
auction in which it is offered, then the Tribal allotment will be 
offered in a subsequent auction and any applicant, whether or not a 
Tribal entity, may apply for the Tribal Allotment.
    Consistent with actions taken by the Commission in the Third R&O, 
Form 301 has been revised to accommodate applicants applying in a TQ 
Window for a Tribal Allotment. As noted above, an applicant applying in 
the TQ Window, who was not the original proponent of the Tribal 
Allotment at the rulemaking stage, must demonstrate that it would have 
qualified in all respects to add the particular Tribal Allotment for 
which it is applying. Form 301 contains a new question in Section II--
Legal titled ``Tribal Priority--Threshold Qualifications.'' An 
applicant answering ``yes'' to the question must provide an Exhibit 
demonstrating that it meets all of the Tribal Priority eligibility 
criteria. The Instructions for the Form 301 have been revised to assist 
applicants with completing the responsive Exhibit.
    In addition, Form 301 contains a new option underSection I--General 
Information--Application Purpose, titled ``New Station with Petition 
for Rulemaking to Amend FM Table of Allotments using Tribal Priority.'' 
A petitioner seeking to add a Tribal Allotment to the FM Table of 
Allotments must file Form 301 when submitting its Petition for Rule 
Making. This new Application Purpose field will assist the staff in 
quickly identifying Form 301 applications filed in connection with a 
petition to add a Tribal Allotment and initiating the ``threshold 
qualification'' procedures.
    This information collection is being revised to accommodate 
applicants applying in a Threshold Qualifications Window for a Tribal 
Allotment that had been added to the FM Table of Allotments using the 
Tribal Priority under the new ``threshold qualifications'' procedures 
adopted in the Third R&O.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-233 Filed 1-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P