Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date, 74709 [E8-29096]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 74709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29096]



[[Page 74709]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Docket No. 0812021556-81558-01


Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date

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

ACTION: Notice of Amended Closing Date for Solicitation of 
Applications; Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA) announces that the new closing date for certain digital 
television Distributed Transmission System (DTS) projects is Monday, 
May 18, 2009. This new Closing Date for certain DTS projects is 
designed to accommodate a new policy issued by the Federal 
Communications Commission after NTIA published the original Closing 
Date notice in the Federal Register. The Closing Date for receipt of 
all other Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) 
applications remains Thursday, December 18, 2008.

DATES: Applications for certain digital television DTS projects must be 
received prior to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (Closing Time), Monday, 
May 18, 2009 (DTS Closing Date). Applications submitted by facsimile 
will not be accepted. If an application is received after the DTS 
Closing Date due to (1) carrier error, when the carrier accepted the 
package with a guarantee for delivery by the DTS Closing Date and 
Closing Time, (2) significant weather delays or natural disasters, or 
(3) delays due to national security issues, NTIA will, upon receipt of 
proper documentation, consider the application as having been received 
by the deadline. NTIA will not accept applications posted on the DTS 
Closing Date or later and received after this deadline.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a printed application package, submit completed 
applications, or send any other correspondence, write to PTFP at the 
following address (please note the new room number): NTIA/PTFP, Room H-
4812, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20230. Application materials may be obtained 
electronically via the Internet at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp or 
https://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Cooperman, Director, Public 
Broadcasting Division, telephone: (202) 482-5802; fax: (202) 482-2156. 
Information about the PTFP can also be obtained electronically via the 
Internet at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 20, 2008, NTIA published a Notice 
of Closing Date for Solicitation of Applications for the FY 2009 PTFP 
grant round. The Notice established Thursday, December 18, 2008 as the 
Closing Date.\1\
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    \1\ Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date, 
73 Fed. Reg. 62,258 (NTIA Oct. 20, 2008)(PTFP Closing Date Notice).
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    On November 3, 2008, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 
adopted rules for the use of Distributed Transmission System (DTS) 
Technologies in the digital television service.\2\ In paragraph 28 of 
the Report and Order, the FCC adopted an immediate waiver policy to use 
DTS to continue to provide over-the-air service to existing analog 
viewers after the digital transition even before its new DTS rules and 
forms take effect.\3\ Under the timeline adopted by the FCC in the DTS 
Report and Order, licensees must submit DTS applications using this 
waiver policy to the FCC no later than August 18, 2009 (six months 
after the February 17, 2009 deadline for shut-down of full-power analog 
television service), and applicants must commit to build the DTS 
facility as quickly as possible.\4\ Consistent with PTFP's purposes, 
NTIA is extending the Closing Date for DTS applications so stations may 
apply for the financial assistance necessary to build DTS facilities as 
allowed by the new FCC rules and waiver policy.\5\
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    \2\ Digital Television Distributed Transmission System 
Technologies, MB Docket No. 05-312, Report and Order, 2008 FCC LEXIS 
7698, FCC 08-256 (2008)(DTS Report and Order).
    \3\ Id. at ]28.
    \4\ Id.
    \5\ See 47 U.S.C. Sec.  390.
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    For DTS projects that require an FCC waiver under the 
aforementioned waiver policy, NTIA will accept applications for DTS 
projects until May 18, 2009 (DTS Closing Date). Such applications will 
be placed in Subpriority A. While applicants may file requests for FCC 
authorizations with the FCC after the DTS Closing Date, applicants are 
reminded that no grant will be awarded until confirmation has been 
received from the FCC that any necessary authorization will be issued. 
As noted in the Federal Funding Opportunity Notice of October 20, 2008, 
``[t]ransmission equipment required by public television stations to 
complete their digital broadcast facilities will be considered in 
Broadcast Other, Subpriority A'' and that facilities ``should replicate 
the station's comparable analog Grade B coverage.''\6\
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    \6\ Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, FY 2009, U.S. 
Department of Commerce (Oct. 20, 2008) available at https://
www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/ptfp/attachments/FFO_Notice_09.html.
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    Applications for DTS projects will utilize the same forms, and 
undergo the same review and evaluation process contained in the PTFP 
Closing Date Notice. The Closing Date for receipt of all other PTFP 
applications, including applications for those DTS projects that do not 
require a FCC waiver as discussed above, remains Thursday, December 18, 
2008.\7\
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    \7\ See PTFP Closing Date Notice, supra note 1.

    Dated: December 4, 2008.
Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera,
Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information 
Applications.
[FR Doc. E8-29096 Filed 12-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-S