§ 25.154 - Opposition to applications and other pleadings.

§ 25.154 Opposition to applications and other pleadings.

(a) Petitions to deny, petitions for other forms of relief, and other objections or comments must:

(1) Identify the application or applications (including applicant's name, station location, Commission file numbers, and radio service involved) with which it is concerned;

(2) Be filed within thirty (30) days after the date of public notice announcing the acceptance for filing of the application or major amendment thereto (unless the Commission otherwise extends the filing deadline);

(3) Filed in accordance with the pleading limitations, periods and other applicable provisions of §§ 1.41 through 1.52 of this chapter, except that such petitions must be filed electronically through the International Communications Filing System (ICFS) in accordance with the applicable provisions of part 1, subpart Y, of this chapter;

(4) Contain specific allegations of fact (except for those of which official notice may be taken) to support the specific relief requested, which shall be supported by affidavit of a person or persons with personal knowledge thereof, and which shall be sufficient to demonstrate that the petitioner (or respondent) is a party of interest and that a grant of, or other Commission action regarding, the application would be prima facie inconsistent with the public interest; and

(5) Contain a certificate of service showing that it has been mailed to the applicant no later than the date the pleading is filed with the Commission.

(b) The Commission will classify as informal objections:

(1) Any pleading not filed in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section;

(2) Any pleading to which the thirty (30) day public notice period of § 25.151 does not apply; or

(3) Any objections to the grant of an application when the objections do not conform to either paragraph (a) of this section or to other Commission rules and requirements.

(c) Except for opposition to petitions to deny an application filed pursuant to § 25.220, oppositions to petitions to deny an application or responses to comments and informal objections regarding an application may be filed within 10 days after the petition, comment, or objection is filed and must be in accordance with other applicable provisions of §§ 1.41 through 1.52 of this chapter, except that such oppositions must be filed electronically through the International Communications Filing System (ICFS) in accordance with the applicable provisions of part 1, subpart Y, of this chapter.

(d) Reply comments by a party that filed a petition to deny may be filed in response to pleadings filed pursuant to paragraph (c) or (e) of this section within 5 days after expiration of the time for filing oppositions unless the Commission extends the filing deadline and must be in accordance with other applicable provisions of §§ 1.41 through 1.52 of this chapter, except that such reply comments must be filed electronically through the International Communications Filing System (ICFS) in accordance with the applicable provisions of part 1, subpart Y, of this chapter.

(e) Within 30 days after a petition to deny an application filed pursuant to § 25.220 is filed, the applicant may file an opposition to the petition and must file a statement with the Commission, either in conjunction with, or in lieu of, such opposition, explaining whether the applicant has resolved all outstanding issues raised by the petitioner. This statement and any conjoined opposition must be in accordance with the provisions of §§ 1.41 through 1.52 of this chapter applicable to oppositions to petitions to deny, except that such reply comments must be filed electronically through the International Communications Filing System (ICFS) in accordance with the applicable provisions of part 1, subpart Y, of this chapter.

[56 FR 24016, May 28, 1991, as amended at 69 FR 47795, Aug. 6, 2004; 70 FR 32254, June 2, 2005; 79 FR 8320, Feb. 12, 2014; 88 FR 21440, Apr. 10, 2023]