[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 141 (Monday, July 25, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44025-44027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15585]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 19-126, 10-90; FCC 20-5; FR ID 96806]


Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, 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 or FCC) announces that the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, an information 
collection associated with the rules for the Connect America Fund 
contained in the Commission's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order, FCC 
20-5. This document is consistent with the Rural Digital Opportunity 
Fund Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document 
in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of the new 
information collection requirements.

DATES: The amendments to Sec.  54.313(e) introductory text, (e)(2) 
introductory text, and (e)(2)(iii), published at 85 FR 13797, March 10, 
2020, are effective July 25, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jesse Jachman, Wireline Competition 
Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484. For additional 
information concerning the Paperwork Reduction Act information 
collection requirements contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991 or via 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission submitted revised information 
collection requirements for review and approval by OMB, as

[[Page 44026]]

required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, on June 1, 2022, 
which were approved by OMB on July 5, 2022. The information collection 
requirements are contained in the Commission's Rural Digital 
Opportunity Fund Order, FCC 20-5 published at 85 FR 13797, March 10, 
2020. The OMB Control Number is 3060-0986. If you have any comments on 
the burden estimates listed in the following, or how the Commission can 
improve the collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, please 
contact Nicole Ongele, Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street 
NE, Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-
0986, in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your 
comments via email at [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 Commission is notifying the public that it received OMB 
approval on July 5, 2022, for the information collection requirements 
contained in 47 CFR 54.313(e) introductory text, (e)(2) introductory 
text, and (e)(2)(iii), published at 85 FR 13797, March 10, 2020. Under 
5 CFR part 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 3060-0986.
    The foregoing notification 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: 3060-0986.
    OMB Approval Date: July 5, 2022.
    OMB Expiration Date: July 31, 2025.
    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: 2,229 unique respondents; 
13,804 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: 50,857 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Federal Communications 
Commission (Commission) notes that the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC or Administrator) 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; 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: 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 (76 FR 73830 
(Nov. 29, 2011)) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (76 FR 78384 
(Dec. 16, 2011)), 26 FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC Transformation 
Order). 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 (77 FR 30904 (May 24, 2012)), 27 
FCC Rcd 5622 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 
et al., Order (77 FR 14297 (March 9, 2012), 27 FCC Rcd 605 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Fifth Order on Reconsideration (78 FR 3837 (Jan. 17, 2013)), 27 
FCC Rcd 14549 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 
et al., Order (78 FR 22198 (April 15, 2013), 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 (78 FR 38227 (June 26, 
2013)), 28 FCC Rcd 7766 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order (78 FR 32991 (June 3, 
2013)), 28 FCC Rcd 7211 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order (78 FR 48622 (Aug. 9, 
2013)), 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 (81 FR 24282 (April 25, 2016)) and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (81 FR 21511 (April 12, 2016), 31 FCC Rcd 
3087 (2016); Connect America Fund, et al., WC Docket No. 10-90, et al., 
Report and Order (81 FR 44414 (July 7, 2016)) and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (81 FR 40235 (June 21, 2016)), 31 FCC Rcd 5949 
(2016); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 16-271; WT 
Docket No. 10-208, Report and Order (81 FR 69696 (Oct. 7, 2016)) and 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (81 FR 69772 (Oct. 7, 2016)), 31 
FCC Rcd 10139 (2016); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and 
Certifications, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Order, 32 FCC Rcd 968 
(2017); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report 
and Order and Order on Reconsideration (84 FR 4711 (Feb. 19, 2019)) and 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (84 FR 2132 (Feb. 6, 2019)), 33 
FCC Rcd 11893 (2018); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and 
Certifications, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Report and Order (82 FR 
39966 (Aug. 23, 2017)), 32 FCC Rcd 5944 (2017).
    In 2019, the Commission adopted an order establishing a separate, 
parallel high-cost program for the U.S. territories suffering extensive 
infrastructure damage due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Uniendo a 
Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, et al., WC

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Docket No. 18-143, et al., Report and Order and Order on 
Reconsideration (84 FR 59937 (Nov. 7, 2019)), 34 FCC Rcd 9109 (2019) 
(Puerto Rico and USVI Stage 2 Order). Also, in the 2019 Supply Chain 
Order (85 FR 230 (Jan. 3, 2020)), the Commission adopted a rule 
prohibiting the use of Universal Service Fund (USF) support, including 
high-cost universal service support, to purchase or obtain any 
equipment or services produced or provided by a covered company posing 
a national security threat to the integrity of communications networks 
or the communications supply chain. Protecting Against National 
Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC 
Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Report and Order and Order (85 FR 230 
(Jan. 3, 2020)), Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (85 FR 277 (Jan. 
3, 2020)), 34 FCC Rcd 11423, 11433, para. 26. See also 47 CFR 54.9.
    Through several orders, the Commission has changed, modified, and 
eliminated certain reporting obligations for high-cost support. These 
changes are outlined in the following:
    On January 30, 2020, the Commission adopted an order establishing 
the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), building 
on the successful Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II auction. Rural 
Digital Opportunity Fund; Connect America Fund, WC Docket Nos. 19-126 
and 10-90, Report and Order (85 FR 13773 (March 10, 2020)), 35 FCC Rcd 
686 (2020) (RDOF Order). The RDOF represents the Commission's single 
biggest step to close the digital divide by providing up to $20.4 
billion to connect millions more rural homes and small businesses to 
high-speed broadband networks. In the RDOF Order, ``[t]o ensure that 
support recipients are meeting their deployment obligations,'' the 
Commission ``adopt[ed] essentially the same reporting requirements for 
the RDOF that the Commission adopted for the CAF Phase II auction.'' 
Id. at 712, para. 56.
    In the 2020 Supply Chain Order, the Commission adopted two 
additional supply chain rules associated with newly required 
certifications. Protecting Against National Security Threats to the 
Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, 
Second Report and Order (86 FR 2904 (Jan. 13, 2021)), 35 FCC Rcd 14284 
(2020) (2020 Supply Chain Order). First, the Commission adopted a rule, 
47 CFR 54.10, prohibiting the use of a Federal subsidy made available 
through a program administered by the Commission that provides funds to 
be used for the capital expenditures necessary for the provision of 
advanced communications services to purchase, rent, lease, or otherwise 
obtain, any covered communications equipment or service, or maintain 
any covered communications equipment or service previously purchased, 
rented, leased, or otherwise obtained. Second, the Commission adopted a 
rule, 47 CFR 54.11, which requires each eligible telecommunications 
carrier receiving universal service fund support to remove and replace 
all covered communications equipment and services from their networks, 
and subsequently certify prior to receiving a funding commitment or 
support that it does not use covered communications equipment or 
services. The Commission also adopted procedures, consistent with the 
Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-
124), to identify such covered equipment and services and publish a 
Covered List. That list was published March 12, 2021 and will be 
updated as needed.
    In the Rate Floor Repeal Order, the Commission decided to 
``eliminate the rate floor and, following a one-year period of 
monitoring residential retail rates, eliminate the accompanying 
reporting obligations after July 1, 2020.'' Connect America Fund, WC 
Docket No. 10-90, Order (84 FR 19874 (May 7, 2019)), 34 FCC Rcd 2621, 
2621 para. 2 (2019) (Rate Floor Repeal Order); see also 47 CFR 
54.313(h). As explained in the Order, the rate floor was ``[i]ntended 
to guard against artificial subsidization of rural end user rates 
significantly below the national urban average'' but, practically 
speaking, ``increase[d] the telephone rates of rural subscribers . . . 
and individuals living on Tribal lands.'' Rate Floor Repeal Order, 34 
FCC Rcd at 2621 para. 1.
    The Commission therefore revises this information collection, as 
well as the Form 481 and its accompanying instructions, to reflect 
these modified and eliminated requirements. Finally, the Commission 
increases the respondents associated with existing reporting 
requirements to account for additional carriers that will be subject to 
those requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-15585 Filed 7-22-22; 8:45 am]
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