§  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]