[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 231 (Monday, December 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69018-69019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26409]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Broadband Grant Programs Public Virtual Listening Sessions

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of open meetings.

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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA) will host broadband grant program public virtual listening 
sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs 
authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: 
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling 
Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity 
Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant 
Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital 
Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening 
sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform 
program development and implementation.

DATES: NTIA will hold the public virtual listening sessions based on 
the following schedule:
    1. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Programs Public 
Virtual Listening Session #1: Wednesday, December 15, 2021, from 2:30-
4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET);
    2. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Programs Public 
Virtual Listening Session #2: Wednesday, January 12, 2022, from 2:30-
4:00 p.m. ET;
    3. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Programs Public 
Virtual Listening Session #3: Wednesday, January 26, 2022, from 2:30-
4:00 p.m. ET;
    4. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Programs Public 
Virtual Listening Session #4: Wednesday, February 9, 2022, from 2:30-
4:00 p.m. ET; and
    5. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Programs Public 
Virtual Listening Session #5: Wednesday, February 23, 2022, from 2:30-
4:00 p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: These listening sessions will be hosted via NTIA's virtual 
platform and conducted as a live public listening session. NTIA will 
post the registration information on its BroadbandUSA website at 
https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/events/latest-events.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maci Morin, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 4872, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; 
telephone: (202) 482-4884; email: [email protected]. Please 
direct media inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-
7002; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
(Pub. L. 117-58) authorized and funded five new broadband grant 
programs to be administered by NTIA: The Broadband Equity, Access, and 
Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure 
Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State 
Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity 
Grant

[[Page 69019]]

Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. The Broadband 
Equity, Access, and Deployment Program is a $42.45 billion formula-
based program to states, territories, and the District of Columbia for 
qualifying broadband deployment, mapping, and adoption project. The 
Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program is a competitive 
$1 billion grant program for the construction, improvement or 
acquisition of middle-mile infrastructure. The Digital Equity Act 
Programs--which includes the State Digital Equity Planning Grant 
Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and the Digital 
Equity Competitive Grant Program--allocate $2.75 billion to promote 
digital inclusion and equity for communities that lack the skills, 
technologies, and support needed to take advantage of broadband 
connections.
    NTIA will host broadband grant program public virtual listening 
sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs 
authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 
These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect 
stakeholder input to help inform program development and 
implementation.
    These public virtual listening sessions are subject to change. 
Session time changes will be posted on the BroadbandUSA website at 
https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/events/latest-events. Any public 
virtual listening session cancellations will also be posted on the same 
website. Any date change to a scheduled public virtual listening 
session will be provided in a notice in the Federal Register.
    The presentation recording, and transcript of each public virtual 
listening session will be posted on the BroadbandUSA website at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/ and NTIA's YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/ntiagov within seven (7) days following the live 
session.
    The public is invited to participate in these public virtual 
listening sessions. Pre-registration is required as space is limited to 
the first 1,000 participants. NTIA will post the registration 
information on its BroadbandUSA website at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/events/latest-events. NTIA asks each 
registrant to provide their first and last name, city, state, zip code, 
job title, organization and email address for registration purposes.
    Individuals requiring accommodations, such as sign language 
interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to notify the NTIA 
contact listed above at least ten (10) business days before the 
session.
    General questions and comments are welcome via email to 
[email protected].

    Dated: December 1, 2021.
Kathy Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-26409 Filed 12-3-21; 8:45 am]
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