The Development of Operational, Technical and Spectrum Requirements for Meeting Federal, State and Local Public Safety Agency Communication Requirements Through the Year 2010, Establishment of Rules and Requirements for Priority Access Service

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 90

[WT Docket No. 96-86; DA 98-2588]

The Development of Operational, Technical and Spectrum

Requirements for Meeting Federal, State and Local Public Safety Agency

Communication Requirements Through the Year 2010, Establishment of

Rules and Requirements for Priority Access Service

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of time for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document extends the time to file comments concerning the

Commission's Third Notice of Proposed Rule Making (``Third Notice'')

adopted on August 6, 1998. Comments on the Third Notice were due on or

before January 4, 1999, and Reply Comments were due on or before

February 1, 1999. Because of the many petitions for reconsideration and

clarification filed in response to the First Report and Order (``First

Report'') in this proceeding and the close proximity of the deadlines

for responding to these petitions and the Third Notice, the Commission

extended the time to file comments.

DATES: Comments are due on or before January 19, 1999, and reply

comments are due on or before February 18, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary,

Publications Branch, Room TW-B204, The Portals II, 445 12th St., SW,

Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Daronco or Michael Pollak, at

the Public Safety & Private Wireless Division, (202) 418-0680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order

in WT Docket No. 96-86, adopted on December 23, 1998, and released on

December 24, 1998, (DA 98-2588). The full text of the Order is

available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in

the FCC Reference Center, Room 239, 1919 M St., NW, Washington, DC

20554. The complete text of this decision may also be purchased from

the Commission's duplicating contractor, International Transcription

Services, 1231 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202-857-3800.

Alternative formats (computer diskette, large print, audio cassette and

Braille) are available to persons with disabilities by contacting

[[Page 1004]]

Martha Contee at (202) 418-0260, TTY (202) 418-2555, or at

[email protected].

1. On August 6, 1998, the Commission adopted the First Report and

Third Notice concerning the Development of Operational, Technical and

Spectrum Requirements For Meeting Federal, State and Local Public

Safety Agency Communication Requirements Through the Year 2010. The

Third Notice was published in the Federal Register on November 2, 1998.

See 63 FR 58685. Comments on the Third Notice are due on or before

January 4, 1999, and Reply Comments are due on or before February 1,

1999. On December 4, 1998, the Commission received a Motion for

Extension of Time for Filing Comments in Response to Third Notice of

Proposed Rulemaking filed by the National Public Safety

Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).

2. NPSTC requests that the Commission grant a 30 day extension of

time for filing comments to the Third Notice. It states that an

additional 30 days would afford interested parties adequate time to

prepare full and complete comments in order that the Commission may

develop as complete a record as possible. NPSTC indicates that, in

addition to preparing comments in response to the Third Notice, many

organizations will also be required at the same time to prepare

responses to the petitions for reconsideration or clarification that

were filed in response to the First Report. NPSTC notes that a

substantial number of petitions for reconsideration or clarification

were filed in this proceeding on or before December 2, 1998. In

addition, NPSTC points out that the comment date falls immediately

after an extended holiday period making it difficult for NPSTC and

others to complete timely comments.

3. It is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time are

not routinely granted. Upon review, however, we agree that an extension

would afford parties the necessary time to coordinate and file

substantive comments for the record. We believe, however, that 30 days

would delay this proceeding longer than necessary. A 15 day extension

of time, until January 19, 1999, within which to file comments for the

Third Notice should be sufficient. This extension should provide an

adequate opportunity for all parties to prepare and file responsive and

complete comments in this proceeding,

Ordering Clauses

It is hereby Ordered that the Motion for Extension of Time for

Filing Comments in Response to Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

filed by NPSTC on December 2, 1998, is hereby granted in part and

denied in part. Parties shall file comments to the Third Notice no

later than January 19, 1999. Reply comments are due 30 days later on

February 18, 1999.

Federal Communications Commission.

John F. Clark,

Acting Chief, Public Safety & Private Wireless Division

[FR Doc. 99-269 Filed 1-6-99; 8:45 am]

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