[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18535-18536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08757]



[[Page 18535]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0986]


Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 
the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested 
concerning: 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; the 
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the 
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees.
    The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before May 31, 2019. 
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, OMB, via 
email [email protected]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via 
email [email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the comments 
the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991. 
To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted 
to OMB: (1) Go to the web page http://www.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 list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of 
this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC 
submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission 
(FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following 
information collection.
    Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; 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 ways to 
further reduce the information collection burden on small business 
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0986.
    Title: High-Cost Universal Service Support.
    Form Number: FCC Form 481, and FCC Form 525.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions and State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,877 respondents; 11,977 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.1-15 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly and annual reporting 
requirements, recordkeeping requirement 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, 155, 201-206, 214, 218-220, 251, 252, 254, 256, 303(r), 
332, 403, 405, 410, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 51,080 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission notes that the 
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) must preserve the 
confidentiality of all data obtained from respondents and contributors 
to the universal service support program mechanism; must not use the 
data except for purposes of administering the universal service 
program; must not use the data except for purposes of administering the 
universal support program; and must not disclose data in company-
specific form unless directed to do so by the Commission. Parties may 
submit confidential information in relation pursuant to a protective 
order. Also, respondents may request materials or information submitted 
to the Commission or to the Administrator believed confidential to be 
withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the FCC's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for this revised information 
collection. On November 18, 2011, the Commission adopted an order 
reforming its high-cost universal service support mechanisms. Connect 
America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establish Just 
and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal 
Service Support; Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime; 
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; Lifeline and Link-Up; 
Universal Service Reform--Mobility Fund, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 07-135, 
05-337, 03-109; GN Docket No. 09-51; CC Docket Nos. 01-92, 96-45; WT 
Docket No. 10-208, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 26 
FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC Transformation Order), and the Commission 
and Wireline Competition Bureau have since adopted a number of orders 
that implement the USF/ICC Transformation Order; see also Connect 
America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Third Order on 
Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 5622 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., 
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 27 FCC Rcd 605 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 
2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Fifth 
Order on

[[Page 18536]]

Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 14549 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., 
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 2051 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 
2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 
28 FCC Rcd 7227 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund, WC 
Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7766 (Wireline Comp. 
Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and 
Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7211 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 10488 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Report and Order, Order and Order on Reconsideration and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 3087 (2016); Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 16-271; WT Docket No. 10-208, Report 
and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 10139 
(2016); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and Certifications, WC 
Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Report and Order, 32 FCC Rcd 5944 (2017). The 
Commission has received OMB approval for most of the information 
collections required by these orders. At a later date, the Commission 
plans to submit additional revisions for OMB review to address other 
reforms adopted in the orders (e.g., 47 CFR 54.313(a)(6)).
    More recently, in the 2018 Rate-of-Return Order, the Commission 
adopted a rule requiring rate-of-return ETCs receiving high-cost 
universal service support to identify on their annual FCC Form 481 
their cost consultants and cost consulting firm, or other third-party, 
if any, used to prepare financial and operations data disclosures used 
to calculate high-cost support for their submissions to the National 
Exchange Carrier Association, USAC, or the Commission. Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report and Order, Third Order 
on Reconsideration, and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 18-29, at 
19-20, para. 42 (Mar. 23, 2018) (2018 Rate-of-Return Order). See also 
47 CFR 54.313(f)(4).
    The Commission therefore proposes to revise this information 
collection, as well as Form 481 and its accompanying instructions, to 
reflect this new requirement. Any increased burdens for particular 
reporting requirements are associated with ETCs newly subject to those 
requirements as a condition of receiving high-cost support.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-08757 Filed 4-30-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P