[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1833-1834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00417]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, 09-197, 16-271; RM 11868; FCC 23-60; FR 
ID 196019]


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 of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, for a period of three years, an information collection 
associated with the rules for Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost 
Model (A-CAM) contained in the Commission's Enhanced A-CAM Order 
(Order), WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC 23-60. This document is 
consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would 
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective 
date of the revised information collection requirements.

DATES: The amendments to Sec.  54.308(e)(2) and (6) published at 88 FR 
55918, August 17, 2023, are effective January 11, 2024.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission submitted new information 
collection requirements for review and approval by OMB, as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, on November 22, 2023. OMB 
approved the new information collection requirements on January 2, 
2024. The information collection requirements are contained in the 
Commission's Enhanced A-CAM Order, FCC 23-60, published at 88 FR 55918, 
August 17, 2023. The OMB Control Number is 3060-1319. The Commission 
publishes this document as an announcement of the effective date of the 
rules published on August 17, 2023. 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-
1319, 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.

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 January 2, 2024, for the amendments to 47 CFR 54.308(e)(2) 
and (6) published at 88 FR 55918, August 17, 2023.
    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 3060-1319. 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: 3060-1319.
    OMB Approval Date: January 2, 2024.
    OMB Expiration Date: January 31, 2027.
    Title: Enhanced A-CAM Cybersecurity and Supply Chain Risk 
Management Plan Requirements.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, and State, 
Local or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 450 respondents; 900 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10-50 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time and on occasion reporting 
requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 154(i), 214, 218-220, 254, 303(r), and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 27,000 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Needs and Uses: On July 24, 2023, the Commission released the 
Enhanced A-CAM Order (Order), 88 FR 55918, August 17, 2023, WC Docket 
No. 10-90 et al., FCC 23-60, which adopted a voluntary path for 
supporting the widespread deployment of 100/20 Mbps broadband service 
throughout the rural areas served by carriers currently receiving 
Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support and in areas 
served by rate-of-return carriers eligible to receive legacy support by 
the end of 2028. The Commission extended by 10 years beyond the 
remaining five years, for a total of 15 years, the term of support for 
electing carriers and set a methodology for determining support amounts 
for locations without 100/20 Mbps broadband service within a potential 
budget of no more than $1.27

[[Page 1834]]

billion annually, or no more than $1.33 billion annually if certain 
conditions are met, using an updated version of the A-CAM. By adopting 
this program, the Commission furthered its long-standing goals by 
promoting the universal availability of voice and broadband networks, 
while also taking measures to minimize the burden on the nation's 
ratepayers. The Commission also adopted requirements for the Enhanced 
A-CAM program to complement existing Federal, state, and local funding 
programs, so that broadband funding can be used efficiently to maximize 
the deployment of high-quality broadband service across the United 
States.
    To ensure that the Enhanced A-CAM program does not deprive rural 
consumers in high-cost areas of broadband service that is as secure as 
the service deployed pursuant to other Federal funding initiatives, the 
Commission required Enhanced A-CAM carriers to implement operational 
cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans by January 1, 
2024--the start of the Enhanced A-CAM support term. Enhanced A-CAM 
carriers must submit such plans to the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC) and certify they have done so, by January 2, 2024, or 
within 30 days of approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act, whichever 
is later. Failure to submit the plans and make the certification shall 
result in 25% of monthly support being withheld until the carrier comes 
into compliance. If a carrier makes a substantive modification to its 
cybersecurity or supply chain risk management plan, the Commission 
requires that the carrier submit its updated plan to USAC within 30 
days of making that modification.
    The purpose of this information collection is to collect the 
operational cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans 
required of the Enhanced A-CAM carriers by the start of the Enhanced A-
CAM support term and address the burdens associated with that 
requirement.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-00417 Filed 1-10-24; 8:45 am]
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