Relay Services for Deaf-Blind Individuals, 42187-42189 [2012-17346]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 138 / Wednesday, July 18, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
of the Pilot Program (funding year 2009)
in its reports to the Commission. The
overall award for those Pilot projects
receiving bridge funding will be
amended to reflect the original amount
awarded to the projects plus any bridge
funding received.
13. Program Rules. Except as
otherwise discussed in this order, all
rules regarding the Pilot Program remain
in effect and are applicable to any
bridge funding received by Pilot
Program participants.
14. Effective Date. We find good cause
to make this order effective upon
publication in the Federal Register
rather than 30 days after publication.
Some Pilot project HCPs may exhaust
all of the funding allocated to them in
the last few months of Funding Year
2011. As a result, until this order
becomes effective, these projects may be
required by their service providers to
pay the entirety of their recurring
services charges until they are able to
receive RHC support again, which could
create hardship for some. Moreover, it
takes approximately four weeks for
USAC to process and send funding
commitment letters to projects, which
allows the projects to receive
discounted rates from service providers.
Requiring projects to wait an additional
30 days after publication in the Federal
Register to file requests for funding
commitment letters will only result in
further delay, as many projects will be
ready to request funding from USAC as
soon as this order is released.
Accordingly, we find that there is good
cause to make this order effective
immediately upon publication in the
Federal Register, in order to eliminate
a potential gap in RHC support and to
preserve connectivity that has been
developed under the Pilot Program.
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III. Procedural Matters
A. Final Regulatory Flexibility
Certification
15. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of
1980, as amended (RFA), requires that a
regulatory flexibility analysis be
prepared for notice-and-comment rule
making proceedings, unless the agency
certifies that ‘‘the rule will not, if
promulgated, have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities.’’ The RFA
generally defines the term ‘‘small
entity’’ as having the same meaning as
the terms ‘‘small business,’’ ‘‘small
organization,’’ and ‘‘small governmental
jurisdiction.’’ In addition, the term
‘‘small business’’ has the same meaning
as the term ‘‘small business concern’’
under the Small Business Act. A ‘‘small
business concern’’ is one which: (1) Is
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independently owned and operated; (2)
is not dominant in its field of operation;
and (3) satisfies any additional criteria
established by the Small Business
Administration (SBA).
16. In this order, we maintain support
on an interim basis for Pilot Program
participants that will exhaust funding
allocated to them before or during
funding year 2012 (July 1, 2012–June 30,
2013). The order does not significantly
modify the rules of the Pilot Program to
create any additional burden on small
entities, imposes no new burden on any
company, and has no negative economic
impact on any company.
17. Accordingly, we certify that the
measures taken herein will not have a
significant impact on a substantial
number of small entities. The
Commission will send a copy of this
Public Notice, including this
certification, to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration. In addition, this
document (or a summary thereof) and
certification will be published in the
Federal Register.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis
18. This document does not contain
new or modified information collection
requirements subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public
Law 104–13. In addition, therefore, it
does not contain any new or modified
information collection burden for small
business concerns with fewer than 25
employees, pursuant to the Small
Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002,
Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(4).
C. Congressional Review Act
19. The Commission will send a copy
of this order to Congress and the
Government Accountability Office
pursuant to the Congressional Review
Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).
IV. Ordering Clauses
20. Accordingly, it is ordered that,
pursuant to the authority contained in
sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 201, 254, and 403
of the Communications Act of 1934, as
amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j),
201, 254, and 403, this order is adopted,
and shall become effective July 18,
2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) and
§§ 1.4(b)(1), 1.103(a), and 1.427(a) of the
Commission’s rules, 47 CFR 1.4(b)(1),
1.103(a), 1.427(a).
21. It is further ordered that the
Commission’s Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference
Information Center, shall send a copy of
this order, including the Final
Regulatory Flexibility Certification, to
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42187
the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the
Small Business Administration.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012–17478 Filed 7–17–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 64
[CG Docket No. 10–210; DA 12–430]
Relay Services for Deaf-Blind
Individuals
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of
effective date.
AGENCY:
In this document, the
Commission announces that the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) has
approved, for a period of three years, the
information collection associated with
the Commission’s Implementation of the
Twenty-First Century Communications
and Video Accessibility Act of 2010,
Section 105, Relay Services for DeafBlind Individuals, Order (Order). This
document is consistent with the Order,
which stated that the Commission
would publish a document in the
Federal Register announcing OMB
approval and the effective date of the
requirement.
DATES: 47 CFR 64.610(f)(2), published at
76 FR 26641, May 9, 2011, and modified
at 77 FR 20553, April 5, 2012, is
effective July 18, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rosaline Crawford, Disability Rights
Office, Consumer and Governmental
Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418–2075, or
email Rosaline.Crawford@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
document announces that, on July 11,
2012, OMB approved, for a period of
three years, the modified information
collection requirements contained in the
Commission’s Order, DA 12–430,
published at 77 FR 20553, April 5, 2012.
The OMB Control Number is 3060–
1146. The Commission publishes this
document as an announcement of the
effective date of the rules. If you have
any comments on the burden estimates
listed below, or how the Commission
can improve the collections and reduce
any burdens caused thereby, please
contact Cathy Williams, Federal
Communications Commission, Room 1–
C823, 445 12th Street SW., Washington,
DC 20554. Please include the OMB
Control Number, 3060–1146, in your
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\18JYR1.SGM
18JYR1
42188
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 138 / Wednesday, July 18, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with RULES
correspondence. The Commission will
also accept your comments via the
Internet if you send them to
PRA@fcc.gov.
To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities
(Braille, large print, electronic files,
audio format), send an email to
fcc504@fcc.gov 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 FCC is notifying the public that it
received OMB approval on July 11,
2012, for the modified information
collection requirement contained in the
Commission’s rules at 47 CFR
64.610(f)(2).
Under 5 CFR 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
3060–1146.
The foregoing notice 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: 3060–1146.
OMB Approval Date: July 11, 2012.
OMB Expiration Date: July 31, 2015.
Title: Implementation of the Twentyfirst Century Communications and
Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section
105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind
Individuals, CG Docket No. 10–210.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents: Individuals or
households; businesses or other forprofit entities; not-for-profit institutions;
Federal government; State, local or
tribal governments.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 106 respondents; 989
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 1 to
120 hours.
Frequency of Response: Annual, on
occasion, one-time, monthly, and semiannually reporting requirements; Record
keeping requirement; Third party
disclosure requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to
obtain or retain benefit. The statutory
authority for the information collections
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14:59 Jul 17, 2012
Jkt 226001
is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154, 254(k);
sections 403(b)(2)(B), (c), Public Law
104–104, 110 Stat. 56. Interpret or apply
47 U.S.C. 201, 218, 222, 225, 226, 228,
254(k), and 620.
Total Annual Burden: 21,465 hours.
Total Annual Cost: None.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality:
Confidentiality is an issue to the extent
that individuals and households
provide personally identifiable
information (PII), which is covered
under the FCC’s system of records
notice (SORN), FCC/CGB–3, ‘‘National
Deaf-Blind Equipment distribution
Program.’’ As required by the Privacy
Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Commission also
published a SORN, FCC/CGB–3
‘‘National Deaf-Blind Equipment
Distribution Program,’’ in the Federal
Register on January 19, 2012 (77 FR
2721) which became effective on
February 28, 2012. Also, the
Commission is in the process of
preparing the new privacy impact
assessment (PIA) related to the PII
covered by these information
collections, as required by OMB’s
Memorandum M–03–22 (September 26,
2003) and by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C.
552a.
Privacy Impact Assessment: Yes. The
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) was
completed on June 28, 2007. It may be
reviewed at: https://www.fcc.gov/omd/
privacyact/
Privacy_Impact_Assessment.html. The
Commission is in the process of
updating the PIA to incorporate various
revisions made to the SORN and is in
the process of preparing a new SORN to
cover the PII collected related thereto, as
stated above.
Needs and Uses: On April 6, 2011, in
document FCC 11–56, the Commission
released a Report and Order; published
at 76 FR 26641, May 9, 2011, adopting
final rules to implement section 719 of
the Communications Act of 1934 (the
Act), as amended, which was added to
the Act by the ‘‘Twenty-First Century
Communications and Video
Accessibility Act of 2010’’ (CVAA). See
Public Law 111–260, § 105. Section 719
of the Act authorizes up to $10 million
annually from the Interstate
Telecommunications Relay Service
Fund (TRS Fund) to support eligible
programs that distribute equipment
designed to make telecommunications
service, Internet access service, and
advanced communications accessible by
low-income individuals who are deafblind. Specifically, the rules adopted in
document FCC 11–56 established the
National Deaf-Blind Equipment
Distribution Program (NDBEDP) as a
pilot program for two years with an
option to extend the program for one
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
additional year. The rules adopted in
document FCC 11–56 have the
following information collection
requirements:
(a) State equipment distribution
programs, other public programs, and
private entities may submit applications
for NDBEDP certification to the
Commission. For each state, the
Commission will certify a single
program as the sole authorized entity to
participate in the NDBEDP and receive
reimbursement from the TRS Fund.
(b) Each program certified under the
NDBEDP must submit certain programrelated data electronically to the
Commission, as instructed by the
NDBEDP Administrator, every six
months, commencing with the start of
the pilot program.
(c) Each program certified under the
NDBEDP must retain all records
associated with the distribution of
equipment and provision of related
services under the NDBEDP for two
years following the termination of the
pilot program.
(d) Each program certified under the
NDBEDP must obtain verification that
NDBEDP applicants meet the definition
of an individual who is deaf-blind.
(e) Each program certified under the
NDBEDP must obtain verification that
NDBEDP applicants meet the income
eligibility requirements.
(f) Programs certified under the
NDBEDP shall be reimbursed for the
cost of equipment that has been
distributed to eligible individuals and
authorized related services, up to the
state’s funding allotment under this
program. Within 30 days after the end
of each six-month period of the Fund
Year, each program certified under the
NDBEDP pilot must submit
documentation that supports its claim
for reimbursement of the reasonable
costs of equipment and related services.
On March 20, 2012 in document DA
12–430, the Commission released an
Order; published at 77 FR 20553, April
5, 2012, to conditionally waive the
requirement in section (f), above, for
NDBEDP certified programs to submit
reimbursement claims at the end of each
six-month period of the TRS Fund Year
to permit certified programs to submit
reimbursement claims as frequently as
monthly. Each certified program that
wishes to take advantage of this waiver
will be permitted to elect a monthly or
quarterly reimbursement schedule, must
notify the TRS Fund Administrator of
its election at the start of each Fund
Year, and must maintain that schedule
for the duration of the Year.
E:\FR\FM\18JYR1.SGM
18JYR1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 138 / Wednesday, July 18, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of
Managing Director.
20910 and to OMB by email to OIRA
Submission@omb.eop.gov, or fax to
202–395–7285.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gordon Colvin, phone: 301–427–8118;
fax: 301–713–1875; or email:
gordon.colvin@noaa.gov.
[FR Doc. 2012–17346 Filed 7–17–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Electronic Access
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 600
[Docket No. 120118050–2206–02]
RIN 0648–BB49
Marine Recreational Fisheries of the
United States; National Saltwater
Angler Registry and State Exemption
Program
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
NMFS issues this final rule to
amend the regulations that implement
section 401(g) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (MSA). The amendments eliminate
duplicative permitting and registration
requirements for holders of Main
Hawaiian Islands Non-commercial
Bottomfish Permits; allow states that
exempt minors under the age of 17 from
the state license or registration
requirements to be eligible for Exempted
State designation; allow the U.S. Virgin
Islands to be designated as an Exempted
State under the qualifying regional
survey option of the rule; and clarify
and update various provisions of the
rule.
SUMMARY:
This final rule is effective August
17, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Regulatory
Impact Review/Regulatory Flexibility
Act Analysis are available from: Gordon
Colvin, Office of Science and
Technology, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910. Background
information and documents are
available at the NMFS Office of Science
and Technology Web site at https://
www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/mrip/.
Comments regarding the burden-hour
estimates or other aspects of the
collection-of-information requirements
contained in this rule should be
submitted in writing to Gordon Colvin,
Office of Science and Technology,
National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
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DATES:
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16:35 Jul 17, 2012
Jkt 226001
This final rule is accessible via the
Internet at the Office of the Federal
Register’s Web site at https://
www.gpoaccess.gov/.
Background information and documents
are available at the NMFS Office of
Science and Technology Web site at
https://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/
index.html.
Background
The action amends regulations at
50 CFR 600.1400 that implement the
National Saltwater Angler Registry and
State Exemption Program (NSAR). The
rule established the requirements and
procedures for anglers, spear fishers and
for-hire fishing vessels to register with
NMFS unless exempt from the
registration requirement. The NSAR
regulations also established the
requirements and procedures whereby
states may be designated as Exempted
States. The anglers and for-hire fishing
vessels licensed or registered by
Exempted States, and those anglers and
vessels that are not required to be
licensed or registered under the laws of
such states, are not required to register
with NMFS.
Based on its experience with
administering NSAR and input from
states, NMFS has determined that minor
revisions to the rule are needed to
clarify and update certain provisions in
order to address the following
objectives: (1) Eliminate duplicative
permitting and registration requirements
for holders of Main Hawaiian Islands
Non-commercial Bottomfish Permits; (2)
allow states that exempt minors under
the age of 17 from the state license or
registration requirements to be eligible
for Exempted State designation; (3)
allow the U.S. Virgin Islands to be
designated as an Exempted State under
the qualifying regional survey option of
the rule; and (4) clarify and update
various provisions of the rule.
The proposed changes were explained
in the preamble to the proposed rule.
Comments and Responses
On February 6, 2012, NMFS
published a notice of the proposed rule
(77 FR 5751). The public comment
period ended on April 6, 2012. NMFS
received thirteen comments on the
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Frm 00015
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
42189
proposed rule, including one from a
state, one from a regional fishery
management council, one from a nongovernmental organization and ten from
individuals. The comments and
responses are summarized below.
• General comment: One nongovernmental organization commented
generally in support of the proposed
revisions to §§ 600.1400, 600.1405,
600.1416 and 600.1417 that were not
otherwise addressed in the
organization’s specific comments.
Response: NMFS acknowledges the
comment.
• Section 600.1405(b)(7): NMFS
proposed to clarify that the exception to
the NSAR registration requirement for
licensed commercial fishing vessels is
only for commercial fishing and not for
for-hire fishing.
Comment: The Western Pacific
Fishery Management Council opposed
this proposal and requested that the
exemption from registration also apply
to for-hire fishing vessels licensed by
the State of Hawaii. The comment noted
that the State of Hawaii issues a single
license, the ‘‘Commercial Marine
License’’ (CML), for both commercial
fishing and for-hire vessels. Because the
license is named a ‘‘commercial’’
marine license, the holders are not
currently required to register with
NMFS under the commercial license
exception in § 600.1405(b)(7), even
when they are operating as for-hire
fishing vessels otherwise required to
register under § 600.1405(a). The
Council believes that requiring Hawaiilicensed for-hire vessels to be federally
registered is unnecessary and
duplicative, given the requirement for
all holders of CML’s to report trips and
catch.
Response: All states, except Hawaii,
are designated as Exempted States and
have entered into Memoranda of
Agreement to provide the necessary data
to NMFS regarding their for-hire
fisheries. Only Hawaii would be
affected by the proposed rule change.
All vessels that hold the Hawaii
‘‘Commercial Marine License,’’
including for-hire vessels, are required
to complete and submit trip reports to
the state. Because Hawaii already
collects for-hire catch data from the trip
reports and submits the data to NMFS,
it is not necessary at the present time to
compile a separate list or registry of forhire vessels for sampling purposes.
Therefore, NMFS agrees that this
proposed amendment is not necessary
now and will defer its adoption for
future consideration.
• Section 600.1405(b)(8): NMFS
proposed to provide that holders of
Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) Non-
E:\FR\FM\18JYR1.SGM
18JYR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42187-42189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17346]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 64
[CG Docket No. 10-210; DA 12-430]
Relay Services for Deaf-Blind Individuals
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years,
the information collection associated with the Commission's
Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video
Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind
Individuals, Order (Order). This document is consistent with the Order,
which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the
Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the
requirement.
DATES: 47 CFR 64.610(f)(2), published at 76 FR 26641, May 9, 2011, and
modified at 77 FR 20553, April 5, 2012, is effective July 18, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosaline Crawford, Disability Rights
Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418-2075, or
email Rosaline.Crawford@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on July 11,
2012, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the modified
information collection requirements contained in the Commission's
Order, DA 12-430, published at 77 FR 20553, April 5, 2012. The OMB
Control Number is 3060-1146. The Commission publishes this document as
an announcement of the effective date of the rules. If you have any
comments on the burden estimates listed below, or how the Commission
can improve the collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby,
please contact Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room
1-C823, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. Please include the
OMB Control Number, 3060-1146, in your
[[Page 42188]]
correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments via the
Internet if you send them to PRA@fcc.gov.
To request materials in accessible formats for people with
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format),
send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov 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 FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB approval on
July 11, 2012, for the modified information collection requirement
contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 64.610(f)(2).
Under 5 CFR 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 3060-1146.
The foregoing notice 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: 3060-1146.
OMB Approval Date: July 11, 2012.
OMB Expiration Date: July 31, 2015.
Title: Implementation of the Twenty-first Century Communications
and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for
Deaf-Blind Individuals, CG Docket No. 10-210.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Individuals or households; businesses or other for-
profit entities; not-for-profit institutions; Federal government;
State, local or tribal governments.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 106 respondents; 989
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 1 to 120 hours.
Frequency of Response: Annual, on occasion, one-time, monthly, and
semi-annually reporting requirements; Record keeping requirement; Third
party disclosure requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. The
statutory authority for the information collections is contained in 47
U.S.C. 154, 254(k); sections 403(b)(2)(B), (c), Public Law 104-104, 110
Stat. 56. Interpret or apply 47 U.S.C. 201, 218, 222, 225, 226, 228,
254(k), and 620.
Total Annual Burden: 21,465 hours.
Total Annual Cost: None.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue
to the extent that individuals and households provide personally
identifiable information (PII), which is covered under the FCC's system
of records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-3, ``National Deaf-Blind Equipment
distribution Program.'' As required by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a,
the Commission also published a SORN, FCC/CGB-3 ``National Deaf-Blind
Equipment Distribution Program,'' in the Federal Register on January
19, 2012 (77 FR 2721) which became effective on February 28, 2012.
Also, the Commission is in the process of preparing the new privacy
impact assessment (PIA) related to the PII covered by these information
collections, as required by OMB's Memorandum M-03-22 (September 26,
2003) and by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a.
Privacy Impact Assessment: Yes. The Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)
was completed on June 28, 2007. It may be reviewed at: https://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy_Impact_Assessment.html. The
Commission is in the process of updating the PIA to incorporate various
revisions made to the SORN and is in the process of preparing a new
SORN to cover the PII collected related thereto, as stated above.
Needs and Uses: On April 6, 2011, in document FCC 11-56, the
Commission released a Report and Order; published at 76 FR 26641, May
9, 2011, adopting final rules to implement section 719 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (the Act), as amended, which was added to
the Act by the ``Twenty-First Century Communications and Video
Accessibility Act of 2010'' (CVAA). See Public Law 111-260, Sec. 105.
Section 719 of the Act authorizes up to $10 million annually from the
Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund) to support
eligible programs that distribute equipment designed to make
telecommunications service, Internet access service, and advanced
communications accessible by low-income individuals who are deaf-blind.
Specifically, the rules adopted in document FCC 11-56 established the
National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) as a pilot
program for two years with an option to extend the program for one
additional year. The rules adopted in document FCC 11-56 have the
following information collection requirements:
(a) State equipment distribution programs, other public programs,
and private entities may submit applications for NDBEDP certification
to the Commission. For each state, the Commission will certify a single
program as the sole authorized entity to participate in the NDBEDP and
receive reimbursement from the TRS Fund.
(b) Each program certified under the NDBEDP must submit certain
program-related data electronically to the Commission, as instructed by
the NDBEDP Administrator, every six months, commencing with the start
of the pilot program.
(c) Each program certified under the NDBEDP must retain all records
associated with the distribution of equipment and provision of related
services under the NDBEDP for two years following the termination of
the pilot program.
(d) Each program certified under the NDBEDP must obtain
verification that NDBEDP applicants meet the definition of an
individual who is deaf-blind.
(e) Each program certified under the NDBEDP must obtain
verification that NDBEDP applicants meet the income eligibility
requirements.
(f) Programs certified under the NDBEDP shall be reimbursed for the
cost of equipment that has been distributed to eligible individuals and
authorized related services, up to the state's funding allotment under
this program. Within 30 days after the end of each six-month period of
the Fund Year, each program certified under the NDBEDP pilot must
submit documentation that supports its claim for reimbursement of the
reasonable costs of equipment and related services.
On March 20, 2012 in document DA 12-430, the Commission released an
Order; published at 77 FR 20553, April 5, 2012, to conditionally waive
the requirement in section (f), above, for NDBEDP certified programs to
submit reimbursement claims at the end of each six-month period of the
TRS Fund Year to permit certified programs to submit reimbursement
claims as frequently as monthly. Each certified program that wishes to
take advantage of this waiver will be permitted to elect a monthly or
quarterly reimbursement schedule, must notify the TRS Fund
Administrator of its election at the start of each Fund Year, and must
maintain that schedule for the duration of the Year.
[[Page 42189]]
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-17346 Filed 7-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P