[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52538-52540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18408]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act--Application for 
Broadband Grant Programs

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before October 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
mail to Teri Caswell, Broadband

[[Page 52539]]

Program Specialist, Grants Management and Compliance, Office of 
internet Connectivity and Growth, National Telecommunication and 
Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 
Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4826, Washington, DC 20230, or by email to 
[email protected]. Please reference, ``Digital Equity & Middle Mile 
Application Forms Comment'' in the subject line of your comments. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Teri Caswell, Broadband Program Specialist, Grants Management and 
Compliance, Office of internet Connectivity and Growth, National 
Telecommunication and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4826, Washington, DC 20230, 
or via email at [email protected]; [email protected]; or via 
telephone at (202) 482-2048.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2021 (Infrastructure 
Act or Act), which was adopted on November 15, 2021, and is also known 
as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provided $65 billion of funding 
for programs to close the digital divide and ensure that all Americans 
have access to reliable, high speed, and affordable broadband service. 
NTIA administers six broadband connectivity grant programs funded by 
the Act, including the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program and 
the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program. The State 
Digital Equity Planning Grant Program (SDEPG) provides new federal 
funding for grants to eligible applicants for the purpose of developing 
State Digital Equity Plans. Through these Plans, each State will, among 
other things, identify barriers to digital equity in the State and 
strategies for overcoming those barriers. Further, U.S. territories and 
possessions (other than Puerto Rico), Indian Tribes, Alaska Native 
entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations may also seek grants, 
cooperative agreements, or contracts to develop their own digital 
equity plans and, in the case of Tribal entities, to provide input into 
the digital equity plans of the States in which they are located. The 
purpose of SDEPG is to promote the achievement of digital equity, 
support digital inclusion activities, and build capacity for efforts by 
States relating to the adoption of broadband by residents of those 
States.
    The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program (MMG) 
provides funding for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of 
middle mile infrastructure. The purpose of the grant program is to 
expand and extend middle mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of 
connecting areas that are unserved or underserved to the internet 
backbone.
    On May 13, 2022, NTIA published the State Digital Equity Program's 
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and the Enabling Middle Mile Grant 
Program's NOFO on internetForAll.Gov to describe the requirements under 
which it will award grants for the SDEPG and MMG.\1\ The SDEPG NOFO 
outlines a separate process for U.S. Territories and Possessions, 
Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Entities, and Native Hawaiian 
organizations to submit applications for SDEPG funding.
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    \1\ See State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program (DE) Notice 
of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (May 13, 2022), https://www.internetforall.gov/program/digital-equity-act-programs. See also 
Middle Mile Grant Program (MM) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 
(May 13, 2022), https://www.internetforall.gov/program/enabling-middle-mile-broadband-infrastructure-program.
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    In past application processes, such as those funded through the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, NTIA provided broad guidelines 
to collect programmatic and project data, such as project descriptions 
and detailed budget information, from applicants. This approach 
resulted in an increased burden for both applicants and reviewers, as 
vital information was often left out of their application. Many 
applicants are Tribal governments or entities who do not possess the 
resources necessary for the preparation of application materials, such 
as project narratives and financial information, without templates to 
guide them. As such, NTIA sought to make this process more equitable 
for potential applicants of the State Digital Equity Planning Grant 
program and Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program by 
providing more concrete guidance to potential applicants about NTIA's 
expectations for application submissions, with the goal of making the 
process more accessible regardless of organizational capacity. NTIA 
created new forms for use in the application process to provide more 
structured questions and guidance. These forms supported program 
objectives by improving both the accuracy and consistency of 
application information while reducing the administrative burden to 
both applicants and NTIA.
    NTIA received emergency OMB approval to collect information from 
applicants using these new forms and is now seeking an extension beyond 
the November 30, 2022, expiration date.
    NTIA will use the information collected from each applicant to 
effectively review the proposed applications and budgets from U.S. 
Territories and Possessions, Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Entities, and 
Native Hawaiian organizations for the State Digital Equity Program, and 
from States, political subdivisions of States, Tribal governments, 
technology companies, electric utilities, utility cooperatives, public 
utility districts, telecommunications companies, telecommunications 
cooperatives, non-profit foundations, and other eligible entities for 
the Middle Mile Grant Program.

II. Method of Collection

    NTIA will collect data through both electronic and mail submission.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0660-0046.
    Form Number(s): TBD.
    Type of Review: Extension of a current information collection.
    Affected Public (SDEPG): Territories or possessions of the United 
States, Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian 
organizations applying for Infrastructure Act Broadband Grant Program 
funding.
    Affected Public (MMG): States, political subdivisions of a State, 
Tribal governments, technology companies, electric utilities, utility 
cooperatives, public utility districts, telecommunications companies, 
telecommunications cooperatives, nonprofit foundations, nonprofit 
corporations, nonprofit institutions, nonprofit associations, regional 
planning councils, Native entities, economic development authorities, 
or any partnership of two (2) or more of these entities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 550 for SDEGP application, 700 for 
MMG application.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours for SDEGP application, 14 for 
MMG application.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,200.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $677,766.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Section 60304(c) of the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act of 2021, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429 (November 15, 
2021)

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IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-18408 Filed 8-25-22; 8:45 am]
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