(a) Except as indicated below, each original construction permit for the construction of a new digital low power television or television translator station shall specify a period of three years from the date of issuance of the original construction permit within which construction shall be completed and application for license filed. Construction permits for the construction of a new digital low power television or television translator station granted after the release of the LPTV DTV Third Report and Order, MB Docket No. 03-185 (FCC 15-175) shall specify the later of either the digital transition deadline or three years from the date of issuance of the original construction permit within which construction shall be completed and application for license filed.

(b) Any construction permit for which construction has not been completed and for which an application for license or extension of time has not been filed, shall be automatically forfeited upon expiration without any further affirmative cancellation by the Commission.

(c) Authority delegated.

(1) For the September 1, 2015 Class A television digital construction deadline, authority is delegated to the Chief, Media Bureau to grant an extension of time of up to six months beyond September 1, 2015 upon demonstration by the Class A station that failure to meet the construction deadline is due to circumstances that are either unforeseeable or beyond the licensee's control where the licensee has taken all reasonable steps to resolve the problem expeditiously. For the low power television and TV translator station digital transition deadline set forth in §74.731(l) of this subpart, authority is delegated to the Chief, Media Bureau to grant an extension of time of up to six months beyond the digital transition deadline set forth in §74.731(l) upon demonstration that failure to meet the construction deadline is due to circumstances that are either unforeseeable or beyond the station's control where the station has taken all reasonable steps to resolve the problem expeditiously.

(2) Such circumstances shall include, but shall not be limited to:

(i) Inability to construct and place in operation a facility necessary for transmitting digital television, such as a tower, because of delays in obtaining zoning or FAA approvals, or similar constraints;

(ii) The lack of equipment necessary to obtain a digital television signal; or

(iii) Where the cost of construction exceeds the station's financial resources.

(3) Applications for extension of time filed by Class A television stations shall be filed not later than May 1, 2015 absent a showing of sufficient reasons for late filing. Applications for extension of time filed by low power television and TV translator stations shall be filed not later than four months before the digital transition deadline set forth in §74.731(l) of this subpart absent a showing of sufficient reasons for late filing.

(d) For Class A television digital construction deadlines occurring after September 1, 2015, the tolling provisions of §73.3598 shall apply. For low power television and TV translator digital construction deadlines occurring after the digital transition deadline set forth in §74.731(l) of this subpart, the tolling provisions of §73.3598 shall apply.

(e) A low power television, TV translator or Class A television station that holds a construction permit for an unbuilt analog and corresponding unbuilt digital station and fails to complete construction of the analog station by the expiration date on the analog construction permit shall forfeit both the analog and digital construction permits notwithstanding a later expiration date on the digital construction permit.

(f) A low power television, TV translator or Class A television station that holds a construction permit for an unbuilt analog and corresponding unbuilt digital station and completes construction of the digital station by the expiration date on the analog construction permit, begins operating and files a license application for the digital station may forego construction of the unbuilt analog station.

[69 FR 69334, Nov. 29, 2004, as amended at 76 FR 44828, July 27, 2011; 81 FR 5053, Feb. 1, 2016]