Rule2024-00417
Connect America Fund
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
January 11, 2024
Effective
January 11, 2024
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
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 Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) contained in the Commission's Enhanced A-CAM Order (Order), WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC 23-60. This document is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of the revised information collection requirements.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1833-1834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00417]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 54
[WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, 09-197, 16-271; RM 11868; FCC 23-60; FR
ID 196019]
Connect America Fund
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.
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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 Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost
Model (A-CAM) contained in the Commission's Enhanced A-CAM Order
(Order), WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC 23-60. This document is
consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective
date of the revised information collection requirements.
DATES: The amendments to Sec. 54.308(e)(2) and (6) published at 88 FR
55918, August 17, 2023, are effective January 11, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jesse Jachman, Wireline Competition
Bureau at (202) 418-7400. For additional information concerning the
Paperwork Reduction Act information collection requirements contact
Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#df91b6bcb0b3baf190b1b8bab3ba9fb9bcbcf1b8b0a9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eea0878d81828bc0a180898b828bae888d8dc0898198">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission submitted new information
collection requirements for review and approval by OMB, as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, on November 22, 2023. OMB
approved the new information collection requirements on January 2,
2024. The information collection requirements are contained in the
Commission's Enhanced A-CAM Order, FCC 23-60, published at 88 FR 55918,
August 17, 2023. The OMB Control Number is 3060-1319. The Commission
publishes this document as an announcement of the effective date of the
rules published on August 17, 2023. 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, 45 L Street
NE, Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-
1319, in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your
comments via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#80d0d2c1c0e6e3e3aee7eff6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f4a4a6b5b4929797da939b82">[email protected]</span></a>. To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic
files, audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a1c19194f4a4e3a1c1919541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="92f4f1f1a7a2a6d2f4f1f1bcf5fde4">[email protected]</span></a> or call the
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.
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 January 2, 2024, for the amendments to 47 CFR 54.308(e)(2)
and (6) published at 88 FR 55918, August 17, 2023.
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 3060-1319. The foregoing notification
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: 3060-1319.
OMB Approval Date: January 2, 2024.
OMB Expiration Date: January 31, 2027.
Title: Enhanced A-CAM Cybersecurity and Supply Chain Risk
Management Plan Requirements.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: New collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, and State,
Local or Tribal governments.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 450 respondents; 900
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 10-50 hours.
Frequency of Response: One-time and on occasion reporting
requirements.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 154(i), 214, 218-220, 254, 303(r), and 403.
Total Annual Burden: 27,000 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Needs and Uses: On July 24, 2023, the Commission released the
Enhanced A-CAM Order (Order), 88 FR 55918, August 17, 2023, WC Docket
No. 10-90 et al., FCC 23-60, which adopted a voluntary path for
supporting the widespread deployment of 100/20 Mbps broadband service
throughout the rural areas served by carriers currently receiving
Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support and in areas
served by rate-of-return carriers eligible to receive legacy support by
the end of 2028. The Commission extended by 10 years beyond the
remaining five years, for a total of 15 years, the term of support for
electing carriers and set a methodology for determining support amounts
for locations without 100/20 Mbps broadband service within a potential
budget of no more than $1.27
[[Page 1834]]
billion annually, or no more than $1.33 billion annually if certain
conditions are met, using an updated version of the A-CAM. By adopting
this program, the Commission furthered its long-standing goals by
promoting the universal availability of voice and broadband networks,
while also taking measures to minimize the burden on the nation's
ratepayers. The Commission also adopted requirements for the Enhanced
A-CAM program to complement existing Federal, state, and local funding
programs, so that broadband funding can be used efficiently to maximize
the deployment of high-quality broadband service across the United
States.
To ensure that the Enhanced A-CAM program does not deprive rural
consumers in high-cost areas of broadband service that is as secure as
the service deployed pursuant to other Federal funding initiatives, the
Commission required Enhanced A-CAM carriers to implement operational
cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans by January 1,
2024--the start of the Enhanced A-CAM support term. Enhanced A-CAM
carriers must submit such plans to the Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC) and certify they have done so, by January 2, 2024, or
within 30 days of approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act, whichever
is later. Failure to submit the plans and make the certification shall
result in 25% of monthly support being withheld until the carrier comes
into compliance. If a carrier makes a substantive modification to its
cybersecurity or supply chain risk management plan, the Commission
requires that the carrier submit its updated plan to USAC within 30
days of making that modification.
The purpose of this information collection is to collect the
operational cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans
required of the Enhanced A-CAM carriers by the start of the Enhanced A-
CAM support term and address the burdens associated with that
requirement.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-00417 Filed 1-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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