[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 17 (Friday, January 26, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1348]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 87-268; DA 07-38]


Advanced Television Systems and Their Impact Upon the Existing 
Television Broadcast Service; Seventh Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Media Bureau extends the comment and reply comment 
deadlines in the Seventh Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making 
(``Further NPRM''). In order to allow parties ample time to develop and 
provide technical analyses during the comment and reply period, the 
deadline for filing comments in response to the Further NPRM is 
extended to January 25, 2007 and the deadline for filing reply comments 
is extended to February 26, 2007.

DATES: Comments are due January 25, 2007, and reply comments are due 
February 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB Docket No. 87-268, 
by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Evan Baranoff, [email protected], 
or Eloise Gore, [email protected], of the Media Bureau, Policy 
Division, (202) 418-2120; Nazifa Sawez, [email protected], of the 
Media Bureau, Video Division, (202) 418-1600; or Alan Stillwell, 
[email protected], of the Office of Engineering and Technology, 
(202) 418-2470.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 20, 2006, the Commission adopted 
a Seventh Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 06-150, released 
October 20, 2006 in MB Docket No. 87-268 (71 FR 66592, November 15, 
2006) proposing a new Digital Television Table of Allotments providing 
all eligible stations with channels for digital television (``DTV'') 
operations after the DTV transition. Comments on the Further NPRM were 
initially due on January 11, 2007, and reply comments were initially 
due on February 12, 2007.
    On December 29, 2006, the Association of Federal Communications 
Consulting Engineers (AFCCE) filed a request for a 30 day extension of 
time to file comments in this proceeding. AFCCE argues that additional 
time is needed to complete the engineering analysis necessary to 
prepare comments.
    As set forth in Section 1.46 of the Commission's rules, it is our 
policy that extensions of time for filing comments in rulemaking 
proceedings shall not be routinely granted. 47 CFR 1.46. Moreover, the 
initial comment period in the proceeding was longer than usual. 
However, in view of the circumstances outlined by AFCCE, we believe a 
14 day extension for the comment and reply period is warranted to 
facilitate the development of a complete record. This extension allows 
parties ample time to develop and provide technical analyses during the 
comment and reply period, which we hope will reduce the time needed 
later in this rulemaking process for further adjustments and filings. 
It is essential, however, that the industry and Commission remain on 
track to complete this transition by the statutory deadline for the 
final transition for full power stations from analog to digital 
television on February 17, 2009. Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Pub. L. 
No. 109-171, 120 Stat. 4 (2006) (amending Section 309(j)(14) and 
Section 337(e) of the Communications Act, as amended). Accordingly, we 
decline to grant the full 30 day extension AFCCE requested.
    Accordingly, it is ordered that the Request for Extension of Time 
filed in MB Docket No. 87-268 by the AFCCE is granted to the extent 
detailed above.
    It is further ordered that the time for filing comments in the 
above captioned proceeding is extended to January 25, 2007 and the time 
for filing reply comments is extended to February 26, 2007.
    This action is taken pursuant to authority found in Sections 4(i), 
4(j), and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 
U.S.C. 154(i), 154(j), and 303(r) and Sections 0.61, 0.283, and 1.46 of 
the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.61, 0.283, and 1.46.
    Specific instructions for filing comments are located at paragraphs 
71-76 of the item as published in the Federal Register and at 
paragraphs 58-63 of the item as released by the Commission and that 
appears on the Commission Web site: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-150A1.doc.

Federal Communications Commission.
Steven A. Broeckaert,
Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. E7-1348 Filed 1-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P