[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 74709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29096]
[[Page 74709]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Docket No. 0812021556-81558-01
Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce
ACTION: Notice of Amended Closing Date for Solicitation of
Applications; Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) announces that the new closing date for certain digital
television Distributed Transmission System (DTS) projects is Monday,
May 18, 2009. This new Closing Date for certain DTS projects is
designed to accommodate a new policy issued by the Federal
Communications Commission after NTIA published the original Closing
Date notice in the Federal Register. The Closing Date for receipt of
all other Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP)
applications remains Thursday, December 18, 2008.
DATES: Applications for certain digital television DTS projects must be
received prior to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (Closing Time), Monday,
May 18, 2009 (DTS Closing Date). Applications submitted by facsimile
will not be accepted. If an application is received after the DTS
Closing Date due to (1) carrier error, when the carrier accepted the
package with a guarantee for delivery by the DTS Closing Date and
Closing Time, (2) significant weather delays or natural disasters, or
(3) delays due to national security issues, NTIA will, upon receipt of
proper documentation, consider the application as having been received
by the deadline. NTIA will not accept applications posted on the DTS
Closing Date or later and received after this deadline.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a printed application package, submit completed
applications, or send any other correspondence, write to PTFP at the
following address (please note the new room number): NTIA/PTFP, Room H-
4812, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20230. Application materials may be obtained
electronically via the Internet at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp or
http://www.grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Cooperman, Director, Public
Broadcasting Division, telephone: (202) 482-5802; fax: (202) 482-2156.
Information about the PTFP can also be obtained electronically via the
Internet at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 20, 2008, NTIA published a Notice
of Closing Date for Solicitation of Applications for the FY 2009 PTFP
grant round. The Notice established Thursday, December 18, 2008 as the
Closing Date.\1\
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\1\ Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date,
73 Fed. Reg. 62,258 (NTIA Oct. 20, 2008)(PTFP Closing Date Notice).
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On November 3, 2008, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
adopted rules for the use of Distributed Transmission System (DTS)
Technologies in the digital television service.\2\ In paragraph 28 of
the Report and Order, the FCC adopted an immediate waiver policy to use
DTS to continue to provide over-the-air service to existing analog
viewers after the digital transition even before its new DTS rules and
forms take effect.\3\ Under the timeline adopted by the FCC in the DTS
Report and Order, licensees must submit DTS applications using this
waiver policy to the FCC no later than August 18, 2009 (six months
after the February 17, 2009 deadline for shut-down of full-power analog
television service), and applicants must commit to build the DTS
facility as quickly as possible.\4\ Consistent with PTFP's purposes,
NTIA is extending the Closing Date for DTS applications so stations may
apply for the financial assistance necessary to build DTS facilities as
allowed by the new FCC rules and waiver policy.\5\
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\2\ Digital Television Distributed Transmission System
Technologies, MB Docket No. 05-312, Report and Order, 2008 FCC LEXIS
7698, FCC 08-256 (2008)(DTS Report and Order).
\3\ Id. at ]28.
\4\ Id.
\5\ See 47 U.S.C. Sec. 390.
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For DTS projects that require an FCC waiver under the
aforementioned waiver policy, NTIA will accept applications for DTS
projects until May 18, 2009 (DTS Closing Date). Such applications will
be placed in Subpriority A. While applicants may file requests for FCC
authorizations with the FCC after the DTS Closing Date, applicants are
reminded that no grant will be awarded until confirmation has been
received from the FCC that any necessary authorization will be issued.
As noted in the Federal Funding Opportunity Notice of October 20, 2008,
``[t]ransmission equipment required by public television stations to
complete their digital broadcast facilities will be considered in
Broadcast Other, Subpriority A'' and that facilities ``should replicate
the station's comparable analog Grade B coverage.''\6\
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\6\ Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity, National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, FY 2009, U.S.
Department of Commerce (Oct. 20, 2008) available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/ptfp/ attachments/FFO_Notice_09.html.
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Applications for DTS projects will utilize the same forms, and
undergo the same review and evaluation process contained in the PTFP
Closing Date Notice. The Closing Date for receipt of all other PTFP
applications, including applications for those DTS projects that do not
require a FCC waiver as discussed above, remains Thursday, December 18,
2008.\7\
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\7\ See PTFP Closing Date Notice, supra note 1.
Dated: December 4, 2008.
Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera,
Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information
Applications.
[FR Doc. E8-29096 Filed 12-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-S