Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget, 27887-27888 [2023-09407]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 2023 / Notices
403 of the Communications Act of 1934,
as amended, 47 U.S.C. 218, 219, and
403.
Total Annual Burden: 4,500 hours.
Annual Cost Burden: $1,350,000.
Needs and Uses: The Federal
Communications Commission
(Commission) is requesting that the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) to approve OMB Control No.
3060–xxxx—Reporting On Foreign
Ownership of International Section 214
Authorization Holders. The Commission
established a new one-time information
collection in the Review of International
Section 214 Authorizations to Assess
Evolving National Security, Law
Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade
Policy Risks, IB Docket No. 23–119;
Amendment of the Schedule of
Application Fees Set Forth in Sections
1.1102 through 1.1109 of the
Commission’s Rules, MD Docket No. 23–
134, Order and Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (Evolving Risks Order and
Notice), FCC 23–28. Each international
section 214 authorization holder is
required to identify its 10% or greater
direct or indirect foreign interest
holders (reportable foreign ownership)
as of thirty (30) days prior to the filing
deadline. Additionally, the filer will be
required to certify as to the accuracy of
the information provided. The filer must
submit its information based on the
categories below.
(1) Reportable Foreign.
(2) Ownership—Foreign Adversary—
China (including Hong Kong), Cuba,
Iran, North Korea, Russia, Maduro
Regime. Where there are interest holders
that are entities and individuals that are
a government organization or citizen of
a ‘‘foreign adversary’’ country, an
authorization holder must identify its
10% or greater direct or indirect foreign
interest holders, including any 10% or
greater direct or indirect foreign interest
holders outside the foregoing ‘‘foreign
adversary’’ countries. A ‘‘foreign
adversary’’ country is defined in the
Department of Commerce’s rule, 15 CFR
7.4. The authorization holder must:
• identify each interest holder and
the foreign country or countries,
including countries that are not foreign
adversary countries;
• disclose whether any interest
holder has dual or more citizenships
and identify all countries where
citizenship is held; and
• certify to the truth and accuracy of
all information.
(3) Reportable Foreign Ownership—
No Foreign Adversary. Where there are
no interest holders that are entities or
individuals that are a government
organization or citizen of any foreign
country that is a ‘‘foreign adversary’’
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:32 May 02, 2023
Jkt 259001
country defined in the Department of
Commerce’s rule, 15 CFR 7.4, an
authorization holder must identify its
10% or greater direct or indirect foreign
interest holders. The authorization
holder must:
• identify each interest holder and
the foreign country or countries;
• disclose whether any interest
holder has dual or more citizenships
and identify all the countries where
citizenship is held; and
• certify to the truth and accuracy of
all information.
(4) No Reportable Foreign Ownership.
An authorization holder that has no
reportable foreign ownership must
certify to the truth and accuracy of this
information.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023–09371 Filed 5–2–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
[OMB 3060–1256; FR ID 138984]
Information Collection Being
Submitted for Review and Approval to
Office of Management and Budget
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
As part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork burdens, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC or
the Commission) invites the general
public and other Federal Agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on the
following information collection.
Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC
seeks specific comment on how it might
‘‘further reduce the information
collection burden for small business
concerns with fewer than 25
employees.’’ The Commission may not
conduct or sponsor a collection of
information unless it displays a
currently valid Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) control number. No
person shall be subject to any penalty
for failing to comply with a collection
of information subject to the PRA that
does not display a valid OMB control
number.
DATES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted on or before June 2, 2023.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00031
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
27887
Comments should be sent to
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Find this particular information
collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under
30-day Review—Open for Public
Comments’’ or by using the search
function. Your comment must be
submitted into www.reginfo.gov per the
above instructions for it to be
considered. In addition to submitting in
www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of
your comment on the proposed
information collection to Nicole Ongele,
FCC, via email to PRA@fcc.gov and to
Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov. Include in the
comments the OMB control number as
shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information or copies of the
information collection, contact Nicole
Ongele at (202) 418–2991. To view a
copy of this information collection
request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) go
to the web page https://www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the
section of the web page called
‘‘Currently Under Review,’’ (3) click on
the downward-pointing arrow in the
‘‘Select Agency’’ box below the
‘‘Currently Under Review’’ heading, (4)
select ‘‘Federal Communications
Commission’’ from the list of agencies
presented in the ‘‘Select Agency’’ box,
(5) click the ‘‘Submit’’ button to the
right of the ‘‘Select Agency’’ box, (6)
when the list of FCC ICRs currently
under review appears, look for the Title
of this ICR and then click on the ICR
Reference Number. A copy of the FCC
submission to OMB will be displayed.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of
its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork burdens, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the FCC invited
the general public and other Federal
Agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on the following information
collection. Comments are requested
concerning: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the Commission, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
Commission’s burden estimates; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information collected; and
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on the
respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public
Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4),
the FCC seeks specific comment on how
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
27888
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 2023 / Notices
it might ‘‘further reduce the information
collection burden for small business
concerns with fewer than 25
employees.’’
OMB Control Number: 3060–1256.
Title: Application for Connect
America Fund Phase II and Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund Auction Support.
Form Number: FCC Form 683.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other forprofit entities, Not-for-profit
institutions, and State, Local or Tribal
governments.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 530 respondents and 930
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 2–12
hours (on average).
Frequency of Response: Annual
reporting requirements, on occasion
reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to
obtain or retain benefits. Statutory
authority for this information collection
47 U.S.C. 154, 214, 254 and 303(r) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as
amended.
Total Annual Burden: 5,860 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Needs and Uses:
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Connect America Fund Phase II
Auction
The Commission is requesting the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval for this revised
information collection. On November
18, 2011, the Commission released the
USF/ICC Transformation Order and
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,
WC Docket No. 10–90 et al., FCC 11–161
(USF/ICC Transformation Order and/or
FNPRM), which comprehensively
reformed and modernized the high-cost
program within the universal service
fund to focus support on networks
capable of providing voice and
broadband services. Among other
things, the Commission created the
Connect America Fund (CAF) and
concluded that support in price cap
areas would be provided through a
combination of ‘‘a new forward-looking
model of the cost of constructing
modern multi-purpose networks’’ and a
competitive bidding process (CAF Phase
II auction or Auction 903). The
Commission also sought comment in the
accompanying USF/ICC Transformation
FNPRM on proposed rules governing the
CAF Phase II auction, including basic
auction design and the application
process.
In the CAF Phase II auction, service
providers competed to receive support
of up to $1.98 billion over 10 years to
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:32 May 02, 2023
Jkt 259001
offer voice and broadband service in
unserved high-cost areas. The
information collection requirements
reported under this collection are the
result of several Commission decisions
to implement the reform adopted in the
USF/ICC Transformation Order and
move forward with conducting the CAF
Phase II auction. In the April 2014
Connect America Order, WC Docket No.
10–90 et al., FCC 14–54, the
Commission adopted various rules
regarding participation in the CAF
Phase II auction, the term of support,
and the eligible telecommunications
carrier (ETC) designation process. In the
Phase II Auction Order, WC Docket No.
10–90 et al., FCC 16–64, the
Commission adopted rules to govern the
CAF Phase II auction, including the
adoption of a two-stage application
process, which includes a pre-auction
short-form application to be submitted
by parties interested in bidding in the
CAF Phase II auction and a post-auction
long-form application that must be
submitted by winning bidders seeking
to become authorized to receive CAF
Phase II auction support. The
Commission concluded, based on its
experience with auctions and consistent
with the record, that this two-stage
application process balances the need to
collect information essential to
conducting a successful auction and
authorizing CAF Phase II support with
administrative efficiency.
On January 30, 2018, the Commission
adopted a public notice that established
the final procedures for the CAF Phase
II auction, including the long-form
application disclosure and certification
requirements for winning bidders
seeking to become authorized to receive
CAF Phase II auction support. See Phase
II Auction Procedures Public Notice, WC
Docket No. 17–182 et al., FCC 18–6. The
Commission also adopted the Phase II
Auction Order on Reconsideration, WC
Docket No. 10–90 et al., FCC 18–5,
which modified the Commission’s letter
of credit rules to provide some
additional relief for CAF Phase II
auction support recipients by reducing
the costs of maintaining a letter of
credit. On January 19, 2023, WCB
released a public notice announcing that
the Commission had concluded its
review of CAF Phase II auction longform applications. See WCB Concludes
CAF II Application Review, Long-Forms
Made Public, AU Docket No. 17–182 et
al., DA 23–49.
The Commission proposes to
eliminate the information collection
requirements related to the CAF Phase
II auction FCC Form 683 now that the
Commission’s review of CAF Phase II
auction long-form applications has
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
concluded. All other information
collection requirements remain
unchanged.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
Auction
On February 7, 2020 the Commission
released the Rural Digital Opportunity
Fund Order, WC Docket Nos. 19–126,
10–90, FCC 20–5 which will commit up
to $20.4 billion over the next decade to
support up to gigabit speed broadband
networks in rural America. The funding
was allocated through a multi-round,
reverse, descending clock auction that
favored faster services with lower
latency and encouraged intermodal
competition in order to ensure that the
greatest possible number of Americans
will be connected to the best possible
networks, all at a competitive cost.
To implement the Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund auction (or Auction
904), the Commission adopted new
rules for the Rural Digital Opportunity
Fund auction, including the adoption of
a two-stage application process. Like
with the CAF Phase II auction, this
process includes a pre-auction shortform application to be submitted by
parties interested in bidding in the
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction
(FCC Form 183) and a post-auction longform application that must be submitted
by winning bidders (or their designees)
seeking to become authorized to receive
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support
(FCC Form 683). The Commission
received approval for the short-form
application (FCC Form 183) in a
separate collection under the OMB
control number 3060–1252.
This information collection includes
the disclosures and certifications
adopted by the Commission that must
be made by winning bidders seeking to
become authorized for Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund support and the
requirement that Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund support recipients
maintain a letter of credit. Any
additional revisions or new collections
for OMB review that address other
reforms adopted in the Order will be
submitted at a later date.
The Commission therefore proposes
to revise this information collection to
maintain these Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023–09407 Filed 5–2–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27887-27888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09407]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-1256; FR ID 138984]
Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to
Office of Management and Budget
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general
public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment
on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it
might ``further reduce the information collection burden for small
business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.'' The Commission may
not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a
collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a
valid OMB control number.
DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be submitted on or before June 2, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using
the search function. Your comment must be submitted into
www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In
addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your
comment on the proposed information collection to Nicole Ongele, FCC,
via email to [email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the
comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991.
To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted
to OMB: (1) go to the web page https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the web page called ``Currently
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4)
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the Title of this ICR and
then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to
OMB will be displayed.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the FCC invited the general public and
other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the
following information collection. Comments are requested concerning:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including
whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy
of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on the
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how
[[Page 27888]]
it might ``further reduce the information collection burden for small
business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.''
OMB Control Number: 3060-1256.
Title: Application for Connect America Fund Phase II and Rural
Digital Opportunity Fund Auction Support.
Form Number: FCC Form 683.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, Not-for-profit
institutions, and State, Local or Tribal governments.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 530 respondents and 930
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 2-12 hours (on average).
Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirements, on occasion
reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection 47 U.S.C. 154, 214,
254 and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
Total Annual Burden: 5,860 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Needs and Uses:
Connect America Fund Phase II Auction
The Commission is requesting the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval for this revised information collection. On November 18,
2011, the Commission released the USF/ICC Transformation Order and
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC
11-161 (USF/ICC Transformation Order and/or FNPRM), which
comprehensively reformed and modernized the high-cost program within
the universal service fund to focus support on networks capable of
providing voice and broadband services. Among other things, the
Commission created the Connect America Fund (CAF) and concluded that
support in price cap areas would be provided through a combination of
``a new forward-looking model of the cost of constructing modern multi-
purpose networks'' and a competitive bidding process (CAF Phase II
auction or Auction 903). The Commission also sought comment in the
accompanying USF/ICC Transformation FNPRM on proposed rules governing
the CAF Phase II auction, including basic auction design and the
application process.
In the CAF Phase II auction, service providers competed to receive
support of up to $1.98 billion over 10 years to offer voice and
broadband service in unserved high-cost areas. The information
collection requirements reported under this collection are the result
of several Commission decisions to implement the reform adopted in the
USF/ICC Transformation Order and move forward with conducting the CAF
Phase II auction. In the April 2014 Connect America Order, WC Docket
No. 10-90 et al., FCC 14-54, the Commission adopted various rules
regarding participation in the CAF Phase II auction, the term of
support, and the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation
process. In the Phase II Auction Order, WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC
16-64, the Commission adopted rules to govern the CAF Phase II auction,
including the adoption of a two-stage application process, which
includes a pre-auction short-form application to be submitted by
parties interested in bidding in the CAF Phase II auction and a post-
auction long-form application that must be submitted by winning bidders
seeking to become authorized to receive CAF Phase II auction support.
The Commission concluded, based on its experience with auctions and
consistent with the record, that this two-stage application process
balances the need to collect information essential to conducting a
successful auction and authorizing CAF Phase II support with
administrative efficiency.
On January 30, 2018, the Commission adopted a public notice that
established the final procedures for the CAF Phase II auction,
including the long-form application disclosure and certification
requirements for winning bidders seeking to become authorized to
receive CAF Phase II auction support. See Phase II Auction Procedures
Public Notice, WC Docket No. 17-182 et al., FCC 18-6. The Commission
also adopted the Phase II Auction Order on Reconsideration, WC Docket
No. 10-90 et al., FCC 18-5, which modified the Commission's letter of
credit rules to provide some additional relief for CAF Phase II auction
support recipients by reducing the costs of maintaining a letter of
credit. On January 19, 2023, WCB released a public notice announcing
that the Commission had concluded its review of CAF Phase II auction
long-form applications. See WCB Concludes CAF II Application Review,
Long-Forms Made Public, AU Docket No. 17-182 et al., DA 23-49.
The Commission proposes to eliminate the information collection
requirements related to the CAF Phase II auction FCC Form 683 now that
the Commission's review of CAF Phase II auction long-form applications
has concluded. All other information collection requirements remain
unchanged.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction
On February 7, 2020 the Commission released the Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund Order, WC Docket Nos. 19-126, 10-90, FCC 20-5 which
will commit up to $20.4 billion over the next decade to support up to
gigabit speed broadband networks in rural America. The funding was
allocated through a multi-round, reverse, descending clock auction that
favored faster services with lower latency and encouraged intermodal
competition in order to ensure that the greatest possible number of
Americans will be connected to the best possible networks, all at a
competitive cost.
To implement the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction (or Auction
904), the Commission adopted new rules for the Rural Digital
Opportunity Fund auction, including the adoption of a two-stage
application process. Like with the CAF Phase II auction, this process
includes a pre-auction short-form application to be submitted by
parties interested in bidding in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
auction (FCC Form 183) and a post-auction long-form application that
must be submitted by winning bidders (or their designees) seeking to
become authorized to receive Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support
(FCC Form 683). The Commission received approval for the short-form
application (FCC Form 183) in a separate collection under the OMB
control number 3060-1252.
This information collection includes the disclosures and
certifications adopted by the Commission that must be made by winning
bidders seeking to become authorized for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
support and the requirement that Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support
recipients maintain a letter of credit. Any additional revisions or new
collections for OMB review that address other reforms adopted in the
Order will be submitted at a later date.
The Commission therefore proposes to revise this information
collection to maintain these Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-09407 Filed 5-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
