[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 2, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 46243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23191]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 80

[PR Docket No. 92-257; DA 97-1806]


Maritime Communications

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On August 21, 1997, the Public Safety and Private Wireless 
Division adopted an order extending the comment and reply comment 
period in PR Docket No. 92-257. The extension was requested to allow 
interested parties more time to evaluate the issues and develop an 
industry consensus. The comment period is extended from August 25, 1997 
to September 15, 1997, and the reply comment period is extended from 
September 9, 1997 to September 30, 1997.

DATES: Comments are to be filed on or before September 15, 1997, and 
reply comments on or before September 30, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M St., N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scot Stone, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, Public Safety & Private Wireless Division, 
(202) 418-0680) or via E-mail to ``[email protected]''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Adopted: August 21, 1997.
    Released: August 21, 1997.
    1. On August 15, 1997, Ross Engineering (Ross) requested that the 
time for filing comments in response to the Second Further Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making (Second Further NPRM) in the above-captioned 
proceeding released by the Commission on June 26, 1997,1 be 
extended from August 25, 1997, to September 15, 1997, and that the time 
for filing reply comments be extended from September 9, 1997 to October 
16, 1997.
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    \1\ Amendment of the Commission's Rules Concerning Maritime 
Communications, Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making, PR 
Docket No. 92-257, FCC 97-217 (released June 26, 1996) (Second 
Further NPRM); see Maritime Communications, 62 FR 37533 (July 14, 
1997).
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    2. Ross states that it needs additional time to submit comments in 
order to fully address the substantive effect of the issues raised in 
the Second Further NPRM, consider the impact of a related Petition for 
Rulemaking filed by the United States Coast Guard,2 and 
complete the work of coordinating and developing an industry consensus 
on these issues. Ross also states that Mobile Marine Radio, MARITEL, 
and the Coast Guard concur in its request for an extension of time.
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    \2\ United States Coast Guard Petition for Rulemaking to Amend 
Part 80 of the FCC Rules to Designate Maritime Channels and Allow 
Operation of Automatic Identification Systems and Related Safety 
Systems (filed August 4, 1997).
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    3. The Commission does not routinely grant extensions of time. In 
this instance, however, it is desirable that the record be as complete 
as possible and that it include the views of as large a cross section 
of the maritime radio community as possible. This interest must be 
balanced, however, against the fact that the filing and process freeze 
enacted to allow the development of new rules for maritime services 
expires on March 17, 1998, and the Commission's intent to adopt final 
rules before the freeze expires.3 We believe an extension of 
twenty-one (21) days to be adequate to give the maritime community 
sufficient time to respond to the above-captioned proceeding. We 
therefore extend the period of time for filing comments to and 
including September 15, 1997, and we extend the period for filing reply 
comments to and including September 30, 1997.
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    \3\ Second Further NPRM at para.132.
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    4. It Is Hereby Ordered that pursuant to Sec. 1.46 of the 
Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Sec. 1.46, Ross's request to extend the 
deadline for filing comments and reply comments in this proceeding is 
granted in part to the extent indicated herein, and otherwise denied.

Federal Communications Commission.
Lisa M. Higginbotham,
Acting Chief, Public Safety and Private Wireless Division, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 97-23191 Filed 8-29-97; 8:45 am]
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