Notice2022-18408
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act-Application for Broadband Grant Programs
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 26, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Telecommunications and Information Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 165 (Friday, August 26, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52538-52540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18408]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act--Application for
Broadband Grant Programs
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before October 25, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by
mail to Teri Caswell, Broadband
[[Page 52539]]
Program Specialist, Grants Management and Compliance, Office of
internet Connectivity and Growth, National Telecommunication and
Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4826, Washington, DC 20230, or by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1b7969747a7f797a757f6e687a5b756f727a357c746d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="690b1b06080d0b08070d1c1a0829071d0008470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference, ``Digital Equity & Middle Mile
Application Forms Comment'' in the subject line of your comments. Do
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Teri Caswell, Broadband Program Specialist, Grants Management and
Compliance, Office of internet Connectivity and Growth, National
Telecommunication and Information Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4826, Washington, DC 20230,
or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c2b6a1a3b1b5a7aeae82acb6aba3eca5adb4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="681c0b091b1f0d040428061c0109460f071e">[email protected]</span></a>; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d6b4a4b9b7b2b4b7b8b2a3a5b796b8a2bfb7f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0567776a646167646b61707664456b716c642b626a73">[email protected]</span></a>; or via
telephone at (202) 482-2048.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2021 (Infrastructure
Act or Act), which was adopted on November 15, 2021, and is also known
as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provided $65 billion of funding
for programs to close the digital divide and ensure that all Americans
have access to reliable, high speed, and affordable broadband service.
NTIA administers six broadband connectivity grant programs funded by
the Act, including the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program and
the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program. The State
Digital Equity Planning Grant Program (SDEPG) provides new federal
funding for grants to eligible applicants for the purpose of developing
State Digital Equity Plans. Through these Plans, each State will, among
other things, identify barriers to digital equity in the State and
strategies for overcoming those barriers. Further, U.S. territories and
possessions (other than Puerto Rico), Indian Tribes, Alaska Native
entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations may also seek grants,
cooperative agreements, or contracts to develop their own digital
equity plans and, in the case of Tribal entities, to provide input into
the digital equity plans of the States in which they are located. The
purpose of SDEPG is to promote the achievement of digital equity,
support digital inclusion activities, and build capacity for efforts by
States relating to the adoption of broadband by residents of those
States.
The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program (MMG)
provides funding for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of
middle mile infrastructure. The purpose of the grant program is to
expand and extend middle mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of
connecting areas that are unserved or underserved to the internet
backbone.
On May 13, 2022, NTIA published the State Digital Equity Program's
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and the Enabling Middle Mile Grant
Program's NOFO on internetForAll.Gov to describe the requirements under
which it will award grants for the SDEPG and MMG.\1\ The SDEPG NOFO
outlines a separate process for U.S. Territories and Possessions,
Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Entities, and Native Hawaiian
organizations to submit applications for SDEPG funding.
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\1\ See State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program (DE) Notice
of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (May 13, 2022), <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/program/digital-equity-act-programs">https://www.internetforall.gov/program/digital-equity-act-programs</a>. See also
Middle Mile Grant Program (MM) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
(May 13, 2022), <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/program/enabling-middle-mile-broadband-infrastructure-program">https://www.internetforall.gov/program/enabling-middle-mile-broadband-infrastructure-program</a>.
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In past application processes, such as those funded through the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, NTIA provided broad guidelines
to collect programmatic and project data, such as project descriptions
and detailed budget information, from applicants. This approach
resulted in an increased burden for both applicants and reviewers, as
vital information was often left out of their application. Many
applicants are Tribal governments or entities who do not possess the
resources necessary for the preparation of application materials, such
as project narratives and financial information, without templates to
guide them. As such, NTIA sought to make this process more equitable
for potential applicants of the State Digital Equity Planning Grant
program and Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program by
providing more concrete guidance to potential applicants about NTIA's
expectations for application submissions, with the goal of making the
process more accessible regardless of organizational capacity. NTIA
created new forms for use in the application process to provide more
structured questions and guidance. These forms supported program
objectives by improving both the accuracy and consistency of
application information while reducing the administrative burden to
both applicants and NTIA.
NTIA received emergency OMB approval to collect information from
applicants using these new forms and is now seeking an extension beyond
the November 30, 2022, expiration date.
NTIA will use the information collected from each applicant to
effectively review the proposed applications and budgets from U.S.
Territories and Possessions, Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Entities, and
Native Hawaiian organizations for the State Digital Equity Program, and
from States, political subdivisions of States, Tribal governments,
technology companies, electric utilities, utility cooperatives, public
utility districts, telecommunications companies, telecommunications
cooperatives, non-profit foundations, and other eligible entities for
the Middle Mile Grant Program.
II. Method of Collection
NTIA will collect data through both electronic and mail submission.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0660-0046.
Form Number(s): TBD.
Type of Review: Extension of a current information collection.
Affected Public (SDEPG): Territories or possessions of the United
States, Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian
organizations applying for Infrastructure Act Broadband Grant Program
funding.
Affected Public (MMG): States, political subdivisions of a State,
Tribal governments, technology companies, electric utilities, utility
cooperatives, public utility districts, telecommunications companies,
telecommunications cooperatives, nonprofit foundations, nonprofit
corporations, nonprofit institutions, nonprofit associations, regional
planning councils, Native entities, economic development authorities,
or any partnership of two (2) or more of these entities.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 550 for SDEGP application, 700 for
MMG application.
Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours for SDEGP application, 14 for
MMG application.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,200.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $677,766.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Section 60304(c) of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act of 2021, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429 (November 15,
2021)
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IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-18408 Filed 8-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P
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