Connect America Fund, ETC Annual Reports and Certifications, Establishing Just and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers, Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime, 39076-39077 [2020-14078]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 126 / Tuesday, June 30, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
4. Amend § 1.4 by revising the first
sentence of paragraph (f) to read as
follows:
§ 1.4
Computation of time.
*
*
*
*
*
(f) Except as provided in § 0.401(b) of
this chapter, all petitions, pleadings,
tariffs or other documents not required
to be accompanied by a fee and which
are hand-carried must be tendered for
filing in complete form, as directed by
the Commission’s rules, with the Office
of the Secretary before 4 p.m., at the
address indicated in 47 CFR 0.401(a).
* * *
*
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*
[FR Doc. 2020–12255 Filed 6–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 54
[WC Docket Nos. 10–90, 14–58, 07–135, CC
Docket No. 01–92; FCC 18–176; FRS 16897]
Connect America Fund, ETC Annual
Reports and Certifications,
Establishing Just and Reasonable
Rates for Local Exchange Carriers,
Developing a Unified Intercarrier
Compensation Regime
AGENCY:
Synopsis
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 the Connect America Fund
contained in the Commission’s Rate-ofReturn Order, FCC 18–176. This
document is consistent with the Rate-ofReturn 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
§ 54.313(f)(5) published at 84 FR 4711,
February 19, 2019 is effective June 30,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alexander Minard, 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:
Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov.
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 June
22, 2020, for the information collection
requirements contained in 47 CFR
54.313(f)(5) published at 84 FR 4711,
February 19, 2019. 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
3060–0233.
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: 3060–0233.
OMB Approval Date: June 22, 2020.
OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2023.
Title: Part 54—Rate-of-Return Carrier
Universal Service Reporting
Requirements.
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of
effective date.
SUMMARY:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
The
Commission submitted revised
information collection requirements for
review and approval by OMB, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA) of 1995, on May 13, 2020,
which were approved by OMB on June
22, 2020. The information collection
requirements are contained in the
Commission’s Rate-of-Return Order,
FCC 18–176 published at 84 FR 4711,
February 19, 2019. The OMB Control
Number is 3060–0233. 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, Room 1–A620, 445 12th
Street SW, Washington, DC 20554.
Please include the OMB Control
Number, 3060–0233, in your
correspondence. The Commission will
also accept your comments via email at
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).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
■
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:54 Jun 29, 2020
Jkt 250001
PO 00000
Frm 00030
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Form Number: FCC Form 507, FCC
Form 508 and FCC Form 509.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other forprofit.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 1,095 respondents; 4,044
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 1–22
hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion
and annual reporting requirements.
Obligation to Respond: Required to
obtain or retain benefits. Statutory
authority for this information collection
is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151–154, 214,
218–220, 221(c), 254, and 303(r).
Total Annual Burden: 43,638 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No
impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality:
No assurance of confidentiality has been
given regarding the information.
However, respondents may request
materials or information submitted to
the Commission be withheld from
public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of
the FCC’s rules.
Needs and Uses: In order to determine
which carriers are entitled to universal
service support, all rate-of-return
regulated (rate-of-return) incumbent
local exchange carriers (LECs) must
provide the National Exchange Carrier
Association (NECA) with the loop cost
and loop count data required by section
54.1305 for each of its study areas and,
if applicable, for each wire center as that
term is defined in 47 CFR part 54. See
47 CFR 54.1305 and 54.5. The loop cost
and loop count information is to be filed
annually with NECA by July 31st of
each year, and may be updated
occasionally pursuant to section
54.1306. See 47 CFR 54.1306. Pursuant
to section 54.1307, the information filed
on July 31st of each year will be used
to calculate universal service support
for each study area and is filed by NECA
with the Commission on October 1 of
each year. See 47 CFR 54.1307. An
incumbent LEC is defined as a carrier
that meets the definition of ‘‘incumbent
local exchange carrier’’ in section 51.5
of the Commission’s rules. See 47 CFR
51.5.
In March 2016, the Commission
adopted the Rate-of-Return Reform
Order, 81 FR 24282, April 25, 2016, to
continue modernizing the universal
service support mechanisms for rate-ofreturn carriers. The Rate-of-Return
Reform Order replaced the Interstate
Common Line Support (ICLS)
mechanism with the Connect America
Fund—Broadband Loop Support (CAF–
BLS) mechanism. While ICLS supported
E:\FR\FM\30JNR1.SGM
30JNR1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 126 / Tuesday, June 30, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
only lines used to provide traditional
voice service (including voice service
bundled with broadband service), CAF–
BLS also supports consumer broadbandonly loops. In March 2016, the
Commission adopted the Rate-of-Return
Reform Order to continue modernizing
the universal service support
mechanisms for rate-of-return carriers.
The Rate-of-Return Reform Order
replaced the Interstate Common Line
Support (ICLS) mechanism with the
Connect America Fund—Broadband
Loop Support (CAF–BLS) mechanism.
While ICLS supported only lines used to
provide traditional voice service
(including voice service bundled with
broadband service), CAF–BLS also
supports consumer broadband-only
loops. For the purposes of calculating
and monitoring CAF–BLS, rate-of-return
carriers that receive CAF–BLS must file
common line and consumer broadbandonly loop counts on FCC Form 507,
forecasted common line and consumer
broadband-only loop costs and revenues
on FCC Form 508, and actual common
line and consumer broadband-only loop
costs and revenues on FCC Form 509.
See 47 CFR 54.903(a).
In December 2018, the Commission
adopted the December 2018 Rate-ofReturn Reform Order, 84 FR 4711,
February 19, 2019, to require rate-ofreturn carriers that receive Alternative
Connect American Model (A–CAM) or
Alaska Plan support to file line count
data on FCC Form 507 as a condition of
high-cost support. Historically, all rateof-return carriers received CAF BLS or,
prior to that, ICLS, and were required to
file line count data on FCC Form 507 as
a condition of that support. In recent
years, some rate-of-return carriers have
elected to receive A–CAM I, A–CAM II,
or Alaska Plan instead, and those
carriers were not required to file line
count data because the requirement to
file applied only to rate-of-return
carriers receiving CAF BLS. In order to
restore a data set that the Commission
relied on to evaluate the effectiveness of
its high-cost universal service programs,
the Commission revised its rules in that
Order to require all rate-of-return
carriers to file that data. While carriers
receiving CAF–BLS must file the line
count data on March 31 for line counts
as of the prior December 31, the A–CAM
I, A–CAM II, and Alaska Plan carriers
will be required to file on July 1 of each
year to coincide with other existing
requirements in OMB Control No. 3060–
0986. Connect America Fund et al., WC
Docket No. 10–90 et al., Report and
Order, Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking and Order on
Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd 11893
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:54 Jun 29, 2020
Jkt 250001
(2018) (2018 Rate-of-Return Reform
Order). See also 47 CFR 54.313(f)(5).
The Commission therefore revises this
information collection. We also
increased the burdens associated with
existing reporting requirements to
account for additional carriers that will
be subject to those requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Cecilia Sigmund,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020–14078 Filed 6–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS–R4–ES–2020–0030;
FF09E21000 FXES11110900000 201]
RIN 1018–BE85
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Designation of Critical
Habitat for Elfin-Woods Warbler
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), designate
critical habitat for the elfin-woods
warbler (Setophaga angelae) under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (Act). In total, approximately
27,488 acres (11,125 hectares) in the
Maricao, San Germa´n, Sabana Grande,
Yauco, Rı´o Grande, Cano´vanas, Las
Piedras, Naguabo, Ceiba, Cayey, San
Lorenzo, Guayama, and Patillas
municipalities in Puerto Rico fall within
the boundaries of the critical habitat
designation. The effect of this regulation
is to extend the Act’s protections to the
elfin-woods warbler’s critical habitat.
DATES: This rule is effective on July 30,
2020.
ADDRESSES: This final rule is available
on the internet at https://
www.regulations.gov under Docket No.
FWS–R4–ES–2020–0030 and at https://
www.fws.gov/caribbean. Comments and
materials we received, as well as some
supporting documentation we used in
preparing this rule, are available for
public inspection at https://
www.regulations.gov under Docket No.
FWS–R4–ES–2020–0030.
The coordinates or plot points or both
from which the maps are generated are
included in the administrative record
for this critical habitat designation and
are available at https://
www.regulations.gov at Docket No.
SUMMARY:
Frm 00031
Fmt 4700
FWS–R4–ES–2020–0030 and at https://
www.fws.gov/caribbean. Any additional
tools or supporting information that we
developed for this critical habitat
designation will also be available at the
Service website and in the preamble at
https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marelisa Rivera, Deputy Field
Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Caribbean Ecological Services
Field Office, P.O. Box 491, Road 301 km
5.1, Boquero´n, PR 00622; telephone
787–851–7297. Persons who use a
telecommunication device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay
Service at 800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Summary
50 CFR Part 17
PO 00000
39077
Sfmt 4700
Why we need to publish a rule. Under
the Act, if we determine that any
species is an endangered or threatened
species, we must designate critical
habitat to the maximum extent prudent
and determinable. We published in the
Federal Register a final rule to list the
elfin-woods warbler as a threatened
species on June 22, 2016 (81 FR 40534).
On that same day, we also published a
proposed rule to designate critical
habitat for the elfin-woods warbler (81
FR 40632). Designations of critical
habitat can only be completed by
issuing a rule.
What this rule does. This rule will
finalize the designation of critical
habitat for the elfin-woods warbler
under the Act. Accordingly, this rule
revises part 17 of title 50 of the Code of
Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.95.
Basis for this rule. Under section
4(a)(3) of the Act, if we determine that
any species is an endangered or
threatened species we must, to the
maximum extent prudent and
determinable, designate critical habitat.
Section 4(b)(2) of the Act states that the
Secretary shall designate critical habitat
on the basis of the best available
scientific data after taking into
consideration the economic impact,
national security impact, and any other
relevant impact of specifying any
particular area as critical habitat.
Section 3(5)(A) of the Act defines
critical habitat as (i) the specific areas
within the geographical area occupied
by the species, at the time it is listed,
on which are found those physical or
biological features (I) essential to the
conservation of the species and (II)
which may require special management
considerations or protections; and (ii)
specific areas outside the geographical
area occupied by the species at the time
it is listed, upon a determination by the
Secretary that such areas are essential
E:\FR\FM\30JNR1.SGM
30JNR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 126 (Tuesday, June 30, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39076-39077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14078]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 54
[WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, 07-135, CC Docket No. 01-92; FCC 18-176;
FRS 16897]
Connect America Fund, ETC Annual Reports and Certifications,
Establishing Just and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers,
Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 the Connect America Fund contained in the
Commission's Rate-of-Return Order, FCC 18-176. This document is
consistent with the Rate-of-Return 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(f)(5) published at 84 FR 4711,
February 19, 2019 is effective June 30, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Minard, 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 required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, on May 13, 2020, which were
approved by OMB on June 22, 2020. The information collection
requirements are contained in the Commission's Rate-of-Return Order,
FCC 18-176 published at 84 FR 4711, February 19, 2019. The OMB Control
Number is 3060-0233. 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, Room 1-A620, 445 12th
Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number,
3060-0233, 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 June 22, 2020, for the information collection requirements
contained in 47 CFR 54.313(f)(5) published at 84 FR 4711, February 19,
2019. 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 3060-0233.
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: 3060-0233.
OMB Approval Date: June 22, 2020.
OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2023.
Title: Part 54--Rate-of-Return Carrier Universal Service Reporting
Requirements.
Form Number: FCC Form 507, FCC Form 508 and FCC Form 509.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,095 respondents; 4,044
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 1-22 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting
requirements.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 151-154, 214, 218-220, 221(c), 254, and 303(r).
Total Annual Burden: 43,638 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No assurance of
confidentiality has been given regarding the information. However,
respondents may request materials or information submitted to the
Commission be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the
FCC's rules.
Needs and Uses: In order to determine which carriers are entitled
to universal service support, all rate-of-return regulated (rate-of-
return) incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs) must provide the
National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) with the loop cost and
loop count data required by section 54.1305 for each of its study areas
and, if applicable, for each wire center as that term is defined in 47
CFR part 54. See 47 CFR 54.1305 and 54.5. The loop cost and loop count
information is to be filed annually with NECA by July 31st of each
year, and may be updated occasionally pursuant to section 54.1306. See
47 CFR 54.1306. Pursuant to section 54.1307, the information filed on
July 31st of each year will be used to calculate universal service
support for each study area and is filed by NECA with the Commission on
October 1 of each year. See 47 CFR 54.1307. An incumbent LEC is defined
as a carrier that meets the definition of ``incumbent local exchange
carrier'' in section 51.5 of the Commission's rules. See 47 CFR 51.5.
In March 2016, the Commission adopted the Rate-of-Return Reform
Order, 81 FR 24282, April 25, 2016, to continue modernizing the
universal service support mechanisms for rate-of-return carriers. The
Rate-of-Return Reform Order replaced the Interstate Common Line Support
(ICLS) mechanism with the Connect America Fund--Broadband Loop Support
(CAF-BLS) mechanism. While ICLS supported
[[Page 39077]]
only lines used to provide traditional voice service (including voice
service bundled with broadband service), CAF-BLS also supports consumer
broadband-only loops. In March 2016, the Commission adopted the Rate-
of-Return Reform Order to continue modernizing the universal service
support mechanisms for rate-of-return carriers. The Rate-of-Return
Reform Order replaced the Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS)
mechanism with the Connect America Fund--Broadband Loop Support (CAF-
BLS) mechanism. While ICLS supported only lines used to provide
traditional voice service (including voice service bundled with
broadband service), CAF-BLS also supports consumer broadband-only
loops. For the purposes of calculating and monitoring CAF-BLS, rate-of-
return carriers that receive CAF-BLS must file common line and consumer
broadband-only loop counts on FCC Form 507, forecasted common line and
consumer broadband-only loop costs and revenues on FCC Form 508, and
actual common line and consumer broadband-only loop costs and revenues
on FCC Form 509. See 47 CFR 54.903(a).
In December 2018, the Commission adopted the December 2018 Rate-of-
Return Reform Order, 84 FR 4711, February 19, 2019, to require rate-of-
return carriers that receive Alternative Connect American Model (A-CAM)
or Alaska Plan support to file line count data on FCC Form 507 as a
condition of high-cost support. Historically, all rate-of-return
carriers received CAF BLS or, prior to that, ICLS, and were required to
file line count data on FCC Form 507 as a condition of that support. In
recent years, some rate-of-return carriers have elected to receive A-
CAM I, A-CAM II, or Alaska Plan instead, and those carriers were not
required to file line count data because the requirement to file
applied only to rate-of-return carriers receiving CAF BLS. In order to
restore a data set that the Commission relied on to evaluate the
effectiveness of its high-cost universal service programs, the
Commission revised its rules in that Order to require all rate-of-
return carriers to file that data. While carriers receiving CAF-BLS
must file the line count data on March 31 for line counts as of the
prior December 31, the A-CAM I, A-CAM II, and Alaska Plan carriers will
be required to file on July 1 of each year to coincide with other
existing requirements in OMB Control No. 3060-0986. Connect America
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report and Order, Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order on Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd
11893 (2018) (2018 Rate-of-Return Reform Order). See also 47 CFR
54.313(f)(5).
The Commission therefore revises this information collection. We
also increased the burdens associated with existing reporting
requirements to account for additional carriers that will be subject to
those requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Cecilia Sigmund,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-14078 Filed 6-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
