Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 23 / Thursday, February 4, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 5917 

navigation position from 5 a.m. to 7 

p.m. from February 7, 2016 through 

February 14, 2016. During this 

temporary deviation, the bridge will 

operate per 33 CFR 117.5 from 7 p.m. 

to 5 a.m. 

The James River is used by a variety 

of vessels including deep draft oceangoing vessels, U.S. government vessels, 

small commercial vessels, recreational 

vessels and tug and barge traffic. The 

Coast Guard has carefully coordinated 

the restrictions with waterway users. 

Vessels able to pass through the 

bridge in the closed position may do so 

at any time. The bridge will not be able 

to open for emergencies and there is no 

immediate alternate route for vessels to 

pass. The Coast Guard will also inform 

the users of the waterways through our 

Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners 

of the change in operating schedule for 

the bridge so that vessel operators can 

arrange their transit to minimize any 

impact caused by the temporary 

deviation. 

In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), 

the drawbridge must return to its regular 

operating schedule immediately at the 

end of the effective period of this 

temporary deviation. This deviation 

from the operating regulations is 

authorized under 33 CFR 117.35. 

Dated: January 28, 2016. 

Hal R. Pitts, 

Bridge Program Manager, Fifth Coast Guard 

District. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02099 Filed 2–3–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services 

42 CFR Part 403 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

45 CFR Part 1331 

RIN 0985–AA11 

State Health Insurance Assistance 

Program (SHIP) 

AGENCY: Administration for Community 

Living (ACL), Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS) and Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 

HHS. 

ACTION: Interim final rule. 

SUMMARY: This rule implements a 

provision enacted by the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act of 2014 and reflects 

the transfer of the State Health 

Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) 

from the Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS), in the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) to the Administration 

for Community Living (ACL) in HHS. 

The previous regulations were issued by 

CMS under the authority granted by the 

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 

1990 (OBRA ‘90), Section 4360. 

DATES: Effective date: This interim final 

rule is effective on February 4, 2016. 

Comment date: To be assured of 

consideration, comments must be 

received by ACL electronically through 

www.regulations.gov no later than 

midnight Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T.) 

on April 4, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

in one of following ways (no duplicates, 

please): Written comments may be 

submitted through any of the methods 

specified below. Please do not submit 

duplicate comments. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: You 

may (and we encourage you to) submit 

electronic comments on this regulation 

at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

the instructions under the ‘‘submit a 

comment’’ tab. Attachments should be 

in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or 

Excel; however, we prefer Microsoft 

Word. 

• Regular, Express, or Overnight Mail: 

You may mail written comments to the 

following address ONLY: 

Administration for Community Living, 

Attention: SHIP Interim Rule, U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, Washington, DC 20201. Please 

allow sufficient time for mailed 

comments to be received before the 

close of the comment period. 

• Individuals with a Disability: We 

will provide an appropriate 

accommodation, including alternative 

formats, upon request. To make such a 

request, please contact Marlina MosesGaither, (202) 357–3552 (Voice) or at 

marlina.moses-gaither@acl.hhs.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Hodges, Administration for Community 

Living, telephone (202) 795–7364 

(Voice). This is not a toll-free number. 

This document will be made available 

in alternative formats upon request. 

Written correspondence can be sent to 

Administration for Community Living, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, 330 C St. SW., Washington, DC 

20201. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The State Health Insurance Assistance 

Program (SHIP) was created under 

Section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget 

Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990 

(Pub. L. 101–508). This section of the 

law authorized the Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services (CMS) to make 

grants to States to establish and 

maintain health insurance advisory 

service programs for Medicare 

beneficiaries. Grant funds were made 

available to support information, 

counseling, and assistance activities 

relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and 

other related health insurance options 

such as: Medicare supplement 

insurance, long-term care insurance, 

managed care options, and other health 

insurance benefit information. In 

January 2014, authorized in the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 

2014, the SHIP program was transferred 

from CMS to the Administration for 

Community Living (ACL). This transfer 

reflects the existing formal and informal 

collaborations between the SHIP 

programs and the networks that ACL 

serves. 

II. Transfer of Language and Technical 

Amendments 

In this interim final rule, ACL 

transfers all provisions of the existing 

SHIP regulations at 42 CFR part 403 

subpart E, §§ 403.500–403.512, to a new 

part at 45 CFR 1331.1–1331.7, and 42 

CFR part 403 subpart E is reserved. This 

transfer positions the regulations 

governing the SHIP program alongside 

the other ACL regulations, reflecting the 

transfer of the program to ACL’s 

administration. 

In addition, as Congress has 

transferred the entirety of the SHIP 

program to ACL, all references to CMS’ 

administration of the program are 

changed in this rule to ACL. 

Finally, as HHS has promulgated new 

Uniform Administrative Requirements, 

Cost Principles, and Audit 

Requirements for HHS Awards, codified 

at 45 CFR part 75 since the previous 

rule’s implementation, this rule changes 

a reference to previous guidance in 

§ 1331.7 Administration. 

III. Regulatory Analysis 

A. Executive Order 12866 

This rule is not being treated as a 

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under 

section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866. 

Accordingly, the rule has not been 

reviewed by the Office of Management 

and Budget. 

B. Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

The Secretary certifies under 5 U.S.C. 

605(b), the Regulatory Flexibility Act 

(Pub. L. 96–354), that this regulation 

will not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
5918 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 23 / Thursday, February 4, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

entities. The primary impact of this 

regulation is on entities applying for 

SHIP funding opportunities, specifically 

researchers, States, public or private 

agencies and organizations, institutions 

of higher education, and Indian tribes 

and Tribal organizations. The regulation 

does not have a significant economic 

impact on these entities. 

C. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Ch. 

3506; 5 CFR 1320 Appendix A.1) (PRA), 

ACL and CMS have determined that 

there are no new collections of 

information contained in this interim 

final rule. 

D. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking 

Under the Administrative Procedure 

Act (APA), ACL and CMS are required 

to publish a notice of proposed 

rulemaking and provide the public with 

an opportunity to comment on proposed 

regulations prior to establishing a final 

rule unless it is determined for good 

cause that the notice and comment 

procedure is impracticable, unnecessary 

or contrary to public interest. 5 U.S.C. 

553(b). As noted previously, Congress 

has already transferred the SHIP 

program to ACL under the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act of 2014. This 

interim final rule makes no changes 

other than aligning the location of the 

regulations within the Federal Register 

with other ACL programs; amending the 

name of the administering agency to 

ACL; and updating a reference to new 

Uniform Administrative Requirements, 

Cost Principles, and Audit 

Requirements for HHS Awards, which 

have already undergone notice and 

comment rulemaking, therefore, there is 

good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) for 

waiving proposed rulemaking as 

unnecessary. 

E. Waiver of Delayed Effective Date 

Agencies are required to delay the 

effective date of their final regulations 

by 30 days after publication, as required 

under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), unless an 

exception under subsection (d) applies. 

Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), ACL and CMS 

may waive the delayed effective date 

requirement if they find good cause and 

explain the basis for the waiver in the 

final rulemaking document or if the 

regulations grant or recognize an 

exemption or relieve a restriction. 

In the present case, there is good 

cause to waive the delayed effective 

date for this interim final rule, because 

the substance of the regulation, other 

than the name of the administering 

agency, is identical to the current 

regulation. 

F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

Section 202 of the Unfunded 

Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires 

that a covered agency prepare a 

budgetary impact statement before 

promulgating a rule that includes any 

Federal mandate that may result in 

expenditures by State, local, or Tribal 

governments, in the aggregate, or by the 

private sector, of $100 million, adjusted 

for inflation, or more in any one year. 

ACL and CMS have determined that this 

rule does not result in the expenditure 

by State, local, and Tribal government 

in the aggregate or by the private sector 

of more than $100 million in any one 

year. 

G. Congressional Review 

This rule is not a major rule as 

defined in 5 U.S.C. Section 804(2). 

H. Assessment of Federal Regulations 

and Policies on Families 

Section 654 of the Treasury and 

General Government Appropriations 

Act of 1999 requires Federal agencies to 

determine whether a policy or 

regulation may affect family well-being. 

If the agency’s conclusion is affirmative, 

then the agency must prepare an impact 

assessment addressing seven criteria 

specified in the law. These regulations 

do not have an impact on family wellbeing as defined in the legislation. 

I. Executive Order 13132 

Executive Order 13132 on 

‘‘federalism’’ was signed August 4, 

1999. The purposes of the Order are: 

‘‘. . . to guarantee the division of 

governmental responsibilities between 

the national government and the States 

that was intended by the Framers of the 

Constitution, to ensure that the 

principles of federalism established by 

the Framers guide the executive 

departments and agencies in the 

formulation and implementation of 

policies, and to further the policies of 

the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

. . .’’ Executive Order 13132 applies to 

actions with federalism implications, 

which are actions that have substantial 

direct effect on States, on the 

relationship between the Federal 

government and the States, or on the 

distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government. For actions that 

have federalism implications and 

preempt state law or have federalism 

implications and impose substantial 

compliance costs on states and local 

governments, the agency must consult 

with state and local officials before 

publishing the rule and include a 

federalism statement in the preamble. 

The Department certifies that this rule 

does not have a substantial direct effect 

on States, on the relationship between 

the Federal government and the States, 

or on the distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government. 

ACL and CMS are not aware of any 

specific state laws that would be 

preempted by the adoption of the 

regulation. 

List of Subjects 

42 CFR Part 403 

Grant programs, Health insurance, 

Medicare, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

45 CFR Part 1331 

Grant programs, Health insurance, 

Medicare, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

Dated: December 17, 2015. 

Andrew M. Slavitt, 

Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare 

& Medicaid Services. 

Dated: December 17, 2015. 

Kathy Greenlee, 

Administrator, Administration for 

Community Living. 

Approved: January 25, 2016. 

Sylvia M. Burwell, 

Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services. 

Regulatory Text 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services, HHS, and 

Department of Health and Human 

Services amend title 42, chapter IV and 

title 45, chapter XIII, subchapter C, of 

the Code of Federal Regulations, 

respectively, as follows: 

42 CFR CHAPTER IV 

PART 403—SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND 

PROJECTS 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 403 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1395b–3 and Secs. 

1102 and 1871 of the Social Security Act (42 

U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh). 

Subpart E [Removed and Reserved] 

■ 2. Subpart E, consisting of §§ 403.500 

through 403.512, is removed and 

reserved. 

45 CFR CHAPTER XIII 

■ 3. Part 1331 is added to subchapter C 

read as follows: 

PART 1331—STATE HEALTH 

INSURANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 

Sec. 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 23 / Thursday, February 4, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 5919 

1331.1 Basis, scope, and definition. 

1331.2 Eligibility for grants. 

1331.3 Availability of grants. 

1331.4 Number and size of grants. 

1331.5 Limitations. 

1331.6 Reporting requirements. 

1331.7 Administration. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1395b–4. 

§ 1331.1 Basis, scope, and definition. 

(a) Basis. This part implements, in 

part, the provisions of section 4360 of 

Public Law 101–508 by establishing a 

minimum level of funding for grants 

made to States for the purpose of 

providing information, counseling, and 

assistance relating to obtaining adequate 

and appropriate health insurance 

coverage to individuals eligible to 

receive benefits under the Medicare 

program. 

(b) Scope of part. This part sets forth 

the following: 

(1) Conditions of eligibility for the 

grant. 

(2) Minimum levels of funding for 

those States qualifying for the grants. 

(3) Reporting requirements. 

(c) Definition. For purposes of this 

subpart, the term ‘‘State’’ includes 

(except where otherwise indicated by 

the context) the 50 States, the District of 

Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 

Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and 

American Samoa. 

§ 1331.2 Eligibility for grants. 

To be eligible for a grant under this 

subpart, the State must have an 

approved Medicare supplemental 

regulatory program under section 1882 

of the Act and submit a timely 

application to ACL that meets the 

requirements of— 

(a) Section 4360 of Public Law 101– 

508 (42 U.S.C. 1395b–4); 

(b) This subpart; and 

(c) The applicable solicitation for 

grant applications issued by ACL. 

§ 1331.3 Availability of grants. 

ACL awards grants to States subject to 

availability of funds, and if applicable, 

subject to the satisfactory progress in the 

State’s project during the preceding 

grant period. The criteria by which 

progress is evaluated and the 

performance standards for determining 

whether satisfactory progress has been 

made are specified in the terms and 

conditions included in the notice of 

grant award sent to each State. ACL 

advises each State as to when to make 

application, what to include in the 

application, and provides information 

as to the timing of the grant award and 

the duration of the grant award. ACL 

also provides an estimate of the amount 

of funds that may be available to the 

State. 

§ 1331.4 Number and size of grants. 

(a) General. For available grant funds, 

up to and including $10,000,000, grants 

will be made to States according to the 

terms and formula in paragraphs (b) and 

(c) of this section. For any available 

grant funds in excess of $10,000,000, 

distribution of grants will be at the 

discretion of ACL, and will be made 

according to criteria that ACL will 

communicate to the States via grant 

solicitation. ACL will provide 

information to each State as to what 

must be included in the application for 

grant funds. ACL awards the following 

type of grants: 

(1) New program grants. 

(2) Existing program enhancement 

grants. 

(b) Grant award. Subject to the 

availability of funds, each eligible State 

that submits an acceptable application 

receives a grant that includes a fixed 

amount (minimum funding level) and a 

variable amount. 

(1) A fixed portion is awarded to 

States in the following amounts: 

(i) Each of the 50 States, $75,000. 

(ii) The District of Columbia, $75,000. 

(iii) Puerto Rico, $75,000. 

(iv) American Samoa, $25,000. 

(v) Guam, $25,000. 

(vi) The Virgin Islands, $25,000. 

(2) A variable portion which is based 

on the number and location of Medicare 

beneficiaries residing in the State is 

awarded to each State. The variable 

amount a particular State receives is 

determined as set forth in paragraph (c) 

of this section. 

(c) Calculation of variable portion of 

the grant. (1) ACL bases the variable 

portion of the grant on— 

(i) The amount of available funds, and 

(ii) A comparison of each State with 

the average of all of the States (except 

the State being compared) with respect 

to three factors that relate to the size of 

the State’s Medicare population and 

where that population resides. 

(2) The factors ACL uses to compare 

States’ Medicare populations comprise 

separate components of the variable 

amount. These factors, and the extent to 

which they each contribute to the 

variable amount, are as follows: 

(i) Approximately 75 percent of the 

variable amount is based on the number 

of Medicare beneficiaries living in the 

State as a percentage of all Medicare 

beneficiaries nationwide. 

(ii) Approximately 10 percent of the 

variable amount is based on the 

percentage of the State’s total 

population who are Medicare 

beneficiaries. 

(iii) Approximately 15 percent of the 

variable amount is based on the 

percentage of the State’s Medicare 

beneficiaries that reside in rural areas 

(‘‘rural areas’’ are defined as all areas 

not included within a metropolitan 

Statistical Area). 

(3) Based on the foregoing four factors 

(that is, the amount of available funds 

and the three comparative factors), ACL 

determines a variable rate for each 

participating State for each grant period. 

(d) Submission of revised budget. A 

State that receives an amount of grant 

funds under this subpart that differs 

from the amount requested in the 

budget submitted with its application 

must submit a revised budget to ACL, 

along with its acceptance of the grant 

award, which reflects the amount 

awarded. 

§ 1331.5 Limitations. 

(a) Use of grants. Except as specified 

in paragraph (b) of this section, and in 

the terms and conditions in the notice 

of grant award, a State that receives a 

grant under this subpart may use the 

grant for any reasonable expenses for 

planning, developing, implementing 

and/or operating the program for which 

the grant is made as described in the 

solicitation for application for the grant. 

(b) Maintenance of effort. A State that 

receives a grant to supplement an 

existing program (that is, an existing 

program enhancement grant)— 

(1) Must not use the grant to supplant 

funds for activities that were conducted 

immediately preceding the date of the 

initial award of a grant made under this 

subpart and funded through other 

sources (including in-kind 

contributions). 

(2) Must maintain the activities of the 

program at least at the level that those 

activities were conducted immediately 

preceding the initial award of a grant 

made under this subpart. 

§ 1331.6 Reporting requirements. 

A State that receives a grant under 

this subpart must submit at least one 

annual report to ACL and any additional 

reports as ACL may prescribe in the 

notice of grant award. ACL advises the 

State of the requirements concerning the 

frequency, timing, and contents of 

reports in the notice of grant award that 

it sends to the State. 

§ 1331.7 Administration. 

(a) General. Administration of grants 

will be in accordance with the 

provisions of this subpart, 45 CFR part 

75 (‘‘Uniform Administrative 

Requirements for Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements to State and 

Local Governments’’), the terms of the 

solicitation, and the terms of the notice 

of grant award. Except for the minimum 

funding levels established by 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
5920 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 23 / Thursday, February 4, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

§ 1331.4(b)(1), in the event of conflict 

between a provision of the notice of 

grant award, any provision of the 

solicitation, or of any regulation 

enumerated in 45 CFR part 75, the terms 

of the notice of grant award control. 

(b) Notice. ACL provides notice to 

each applicant regarding ACL’s decision 

on an application for grant funding 

under § 1331.4. 

(c) Appeal. Any applicant for a grant 

under this subpart has the right to 

appeal ACL’s determination regarding 

its application. Appeal procedures are 

governed by the regulations at 45 CFR 

part 16 (Procedures of the Departmental 

Grant Appeals Board). 

[FR Doc. 2016–02055 Filed 2–3–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Part 52 

[WC Docket Nos. 13–97, 04–36, 07–243, 10– 

90 and CC Docket No. 95–116, 01–92, and 

99–200; FCC 15–70] 

Numbering Policies for Modern 

Communications, IP-Enabled Services, 

Telephone Number Requirements for 

IP-Enabled, Services Providers, 

Telephone Number Portability et al. 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of 

effective date. 

SUMMARY: In this document, the 

Commission announces that the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) has 

approved, for a period of three years, the 

information collection associated with 

the Commission’s Report and Order 

establishing rules for an authorization 

process to enable interconnected VoIP 

providers that choose direct access to 

request numbers directly from the 

Numbering Administrators. This 

document is consistent with the Report 

and Order, which stated that the 

Commission would publish a document 

in the Federal Register announcing 

OMB approval and the effective date of 

those rules. 

DATES: The amendments to 47 CFR 

52.15(g)(2) and (g)(3) published at 80 FR 

66454, October 29, 2015, are effective 

February 4, 2016. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marilyn Jones, Competition Policy 

Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 

at (202) 418–1580, or email: 

marilyn.jones@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

document announces that, on January 5, 

2016, OMB approved the information 

collection requirements contained in the 

Commission’s Report and Order, FCC 

15–70, published at 80 FR 66454, 

October 29, 2015. The OMB Control 

Number is 3060–1214. The Commission 

publishes this notice as an 

announcement of the effective date of 

the rules. If you have any comments on 

the burden estimates listed below, or 

how the Commission can improve the 

collections and reduce any burdens 

caused thereby, please contact Cathy 

Williams, Federal Communications 

Commission, Room 1–C823, 445 12th 

Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. 

Please include the OMB Control 

Number, 3060–1214, in your 

correspondence. The Commission will 

also accept your comments via email at 

PRA@fcc.gov. 

To request materials in accessible 

formats for people with disabilities 

(Braille, large print, electronic files, 

audio format), send an email to fcc504@

fcc.gov or call the Consumer and 

Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 

418–0530 (voice), (202) 418–0432 

(TTY). 

Synopsis 

As required by the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), 

the FCC is notifying the public that it 

received final OMB approval on January 

5, 2016, for the information collection 

requirements contained in the 

modifications to the Commission’s rules 

in 47 CFR 52.15(g)(2)–(g)(3). 

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 

3060–1214. 

The foregoing notice 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: 3060–1214. 

OMB Approval Date: January 5, 2016. 

OMB Expiration Date: January 31, 

2019. 

Title: Direct Access to Numbers 

Orders, FCC 15–70 Conditions. 

Form Number: N/A. 

Respondents: Business or other forprofit entities. 

Number of Respondents and 

Responses: 13 respondents; 13 

responses. 

Estimated Time per Response: 120 

hours. 

Frequency of Response: One-time, 

biennial and on-going reporting 

requirements. 

Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. 

The statutory authority for this 

information collection is contained in 

47 U.S.C. 251(e)(1). 

Total Annual Burden: 1,560 hours. 

Total Annual Cost: No cost. 

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: 

If respondents submit information 

which respondents believe is 

confidential, respondents may request 

confidential treatment of such 

information pursuant to section 0.459 of 

the Communication’s rules, 47 CFR 

0.459. 

Privacy Act: No impact(s). 

Needs and Uses: June 18, 2015, the 

Commission adopted a Report and 

Order establishing the Numbering 

Authorization Application process, 

which allows interconnected VoIP 

providers to apply for a blanket 

authorization from the FCC that, once 

granted, will allow them to demonstrate 

that they have the authority to provide 

service in specific areas, thus enabling 

them to request numbers directly from 

the Numbering Administrators. This 

collection covers the information and 

certifications that applicants must 

submit in order to comply with the 

Numbering Authorization Application 

process. The data, information, and 

documents acquired through this 

collection will allow interconnected 

VoIP providers to obtain numbers with 

minimal burden or delay while also 

preventing providers from obtaining 

numbers without first demonstrating 

that they can deploy and properly 

utilize such resources. This information 

will also help the Federal 

Communications Commission (FCC) 

protect against number exhaust while 

promoting competitive neutrality among 

traditional telecommunications carriers 

and interconnected VoIP providers by 

allowing both entities to obtain numbers 

directly from the Numbering 

Administrators. It will further help the 

FCC to maintain efficient utilization of 

numbering resources and ensure that 

telephone numbers are not being 

stranded. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02013 Filed 2–3–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES