This submission is being made to the Office of Management (OMB) for the approval of information collection requirements contained in the Commissionâs Incentive Auction Order and its Order on Reconsideration , Channel Sharing Order on Reconsideration, Channel Sharing Second Order on Reconsideration, which all adopted rules for holding an Incentive Auction, as required by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Spectrum Act). The Spectrum Act directs the Commission to hold a âreverse auctionâ in which broadcasters can voluntarily return some or all of their broadcast spectrum usage rights in exchange for incentive payments. The Spectrum Act also requires the Commission to reorganize the broadcast television band, which will be accomplished by repacking stations, or moving broadcast stations to different channels. The Spectrum Act directs the Commission to hold a forward auction of the ultra-high frequency (UHF) spectrum obtained as a result of the reverse auction and channel repacking. This UHF spectrum will be auctioned as flexible-use licenses suitable for providing mobile broadband service. Broadcast stations that participate in the forward auction can relinquish their spectrum rights, agree to share a channel with another broadcaster or move from the UHF to VHF band or from a high VHF channel to a low VHF channel. For non-participating broadcast stations, the Spectrum Act establishes a TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund (Fund) to reimburse reassigned broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) that incur expenses associated with continuing to carry relocated stations, for their reasonable expenses resulting from the post-auction channel reassignment.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.