[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14639-14641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05654]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket No. 10-90; FCC 16-33, 16-64, and 16-143]


Connect America Fund

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office

[[Page 14640]]

of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three 
years, an information collection associated with the Commission's 
Connect America Fund, Report and Order, Order and Order on 
Reconsideration, April 25, 2016, Report and Order, July 7, 2016, and 
Order, November 22, 2016 (collectively, Orders). The Commission 
submitted new information collection requirements for review and 
approval by OMB, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 
1995, December 30, 2016, which were approved by the OMB on February 27, 
2017. This notice is consistent with the Orders, which stated that the 
Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing 
the effective date of new information collection requirements.

DATES: The rules associated with the Orders related to certain high-
cost carriers' obligation to report broadband location information 
where they have deployed facilities meeting their public interest 
obligations, as well as associated certifications and quarterly 
reports, published at 81 FR 24282, April 25, 2016, 81 FR 44414, July 7, 
2016, and 81 FR 83706, November 22, 2016, as well as 47 CFR 54.316 and 
54.320(d) are effective March 22, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Lechter, Wireline Competition 
Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on February 
27, 2017, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements contained in the Commission's Orders, FCC 16-
33, published at 81 FR 24282, April 25, 2016, FCC 16-64, published at 
81 FR 44414, July 7, 2016, and FCC 16-143, published at 81 FR 83706, 
November 22, 2016. The OMB Control Number is 3060-1228. The Commission 
publishes this notice as an announcement of the effective date of the 
rules associated with the Orders related to certain high-cost carriers' 
obligation to report broadband location information where they have 
deployed facilities meeting their public interest obligations, as well 
as associated certifications and quarterly reports, published at 81 FR 
24282, April 25, 2016, 81 FR 44414, July 7, 2016 (Phase II Auction 
Order), and 81 FR 83706, November 22, 2016, as well as 47 CFR 54.316 
and 54.320(d). If you have any comments on the burden estimates listed 
below, or how the Commission can improve the collections and reduce any 
burdens caused thereby, please contact Nicole Ongele, Federal 
Communications Commission, Room 1-A620, 445 12th Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-1228, 
in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments 
via email please send them to [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB approval on 
February 27, 2017, for the rules associated with t the Orders related 
to certain high-cost carriers' obligation to report broadband location 
information where they have deployed facilities meeting their public 
interest obligations, as well as associated certifications and 
quarterly reports, published at 81 FR 24282, April 25, 2016, 81 FR 
44414, July 7, 2016, and 81 FR 83706, November 22, 2016, as well as 47 
CFR 54.316 and 54.320(d). Under 5 CFR 1320, an agency may not conduct 
or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a current, 
valid OMB 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 that does not display a current, valid OMB 
Control Number. The OMB Control Number is 3060-1228.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1228.
    OMB Approval Date: February 27, 2017.
    OMB Expiration Date: February 29, 2020.
    Title: Connect America Fund--High Cost Portal Filing.
    Form No.: N/A.
    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.
    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: 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. The ACS Phase II 
Order requires Alaska Communications Systems (ACS), a recipient of 
Phase II frozen support, to comply with the reporting, certification 
and non-compliance measures similar to those previously adopted for 
ETCs electing Phase II model-based support. For the same reason, the 
Commission also adopted a cost certification requirement for certain 
locations. 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

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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.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-05654 Filed 3-21-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P