§ 54.412   Off reservation Tribal lands designation process.

   (a) The Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of Native
   Affairs and Policy may, upon receipt of a request made in accordance with
   the  requirements  of this section, designate as Tribal lands, for the
   purposes of the Lifeline and Tribal Link Up program, areas or communities
   that fall outside the boundaries of existing Tribal lands but which maintain
   the same characteristics as lands identified as Tribal lands defined as in
   § 54.400(e).

   (b) A request for designation must be made to the Commission by a duly
   authorized official of a federally recognized American Indian Tribe or
   Alaska Native Village.

   (c) A request for designation must clearly describe a defined geographical
   area for which the requesting party seeks designation as Tribal lands.

   (d) A request for designation must demonstrate the Tribal character of the
   area or community.

   (e) A request for designation must provide sufficient evidence of a nexus
   between the area or community and the Tribe, and describe in detail how
   program support to the area or community would aid the Tribe in serving the
   needs and interests of its citizens and further the Commission's goal of
   increasing telecommunications access on Tribal lands.

   (f) Upon designation by the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of
   Native  Affairs  and  Policy,  the  area or community described in the
   designation  shall be considered Tribal lands for the purposes of this
   subpart.

   [ 77 FR 12972 , Mar. 2, 2012, as amended at  77 FR 38534 , June 28, 2012]

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