[Federal Register: September 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 174)]
[Notices]
[Page 52045-52046]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08se08-63]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for
Review to the Office of Management and Budget, Comments Requested
August 25, 2008.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the
following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501--3520. An agency may not
conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid 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 (PRA) that does not display a valid
control number. 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 estimate; (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.
DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be
submitted on or before October 8, 2008. If you anticipate that you will
be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC
contact listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of
Management and Budget, (202) 395-5887, or via fax at 202-395-5167 or
via Internet at Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov and to Judith-B.
Herman@fcc.gov, Federal Communications Commission, or an e-mail to
PRA@fcc.gov. To view a copy of this information collection request
(ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://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
[[Page 52046]]
list of agencies presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the
``Submit'' button to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, and (6)
when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the
title of this ICR (or its OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then
click on the ICR Reference Number to view detailed information about
this ICR.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collection(s), contact Judith B. Herman at 202-418-
0214 or via the Internet at Judith-B.Herman@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
Title: Universal Service--Rural Health Care Program.
Form Nos.: FCC Forms 465, 466, 466-A and 467.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit
institutions, and state, local or tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 6,494 respondents; 59,464 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 10-20 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion, monthly, quarterly, annual, and
one-time reporting requirements, and third party disclosure
requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 201-205, 214, 254, and 403.
Total Annual Burden: 67,468 hours.
Total Annual Cost: N/A.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for
confidentiality. However, respondents may request material or
information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public
inspection by requesting confidential treatment of their documents
under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
Needs and Uses: The Commission submitted this information
collection to the OMB as an emergency request and received OMB approved
on January 17, 2008. The Commission is now submitting this information
collection (IC) to the OMB as an extension (no change in reporting,
recordkeeping and/or third party disclosure requirements) during this
comment period to obtain the full three-year clearance from them. Due
to a mathematical error in the emergency request, the Commission is
reporting a -952 hourly adjustment to the total annual burden.
In the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), Congress
specifically sought to provide rural health care providers with ``an
affordable rate for the services necessary for the provision of
telemedicine and instruction relating to such services.'' In 1997, the
Commission implemented this statutory directive by adopting the current
Rural Health Care support mechanism, which provides universal service
support to ensure that rural health care providers pay no more than
their urban counterparts for their telecommunications needs and
Internet access in the provision of health care services. Despite the
Commission's efforts to increase the utility of the Rural Health Care
support mechanism, the program has yet to fully achieve the benefits
intended by the statute and the Commission.
In particular, health care providers continue to lack access to the
broadband facilities needed to support the types of advanced telehealth
applications, like telemedicine, that are vital to bringing medical
expertise and advantage of modern health technology to rural areas of
the nation. In response, the Commission issued the 2007 Pilot Program
Selection Order (WC Docket No. 02-60, FCC 07-198) which selected 69
participants for the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program
(which was originally established by the Commission in September 2006).
These 69 participants are eligible for up to 85 percent of the costs
associated with: (1) The construction of state or regional broadband
health care networks and with the advanced telecommunications and
information services provided over those networks; (2) connecting to
Internet 2 or National LambdaRail, which are both dedicated nationwide
backbones; and (3) connecting to the public Internet. Approximately
$417 million in universal service support over three years (or $139
million per funding year) will be available to participants. To
minimize the burden on Pilot Program participants and to streamline the
process, the Commission generally uses the same forms as the existing
Rural Health Care support mechanism. For example, selected
participants, in order to receive support, must submit FCC Form 465
(seeking bids), FCC Form 466 (funding request and certification), FCC
Form 466-A (selection of service provider), and FCC Form 467
(notification of service initiation). Due to the unique structure of
the Pilot Program, however, in the 2007 Pilot Program Selection Order,
the Commission provides guidance regarding how these forms should be
completed and additional information is required from selected
participants, including proposed network costs worksheets,
certifications, letters of agency from each participating health care
provider, invoices showing actual incurred costs, and if applicable,
network design studies.
The information collected provides the Commission with the
necessary information to administer the existing program and the Pilot
Program, determine the amount of support applicants are eligible to
receive, and inform the Commission about the feasibility of revising
its rules.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-20743 Filed 9-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P