[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 38 (Friday, February 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4218]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 25, 1994]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 1
[ET Docket No. 93-62; DA 94-161]
Guidelines for Evaluating the Environmental Effects of
Radiofrequency Radiation
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Chief of the Commission's Office of Engineering and
Technology has granted a 60 day extension for filing reply comments in
response to the Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM). This extension
is in response to a motion filed by the Telecommunications Industry
Association (``TIA''). The additional time will allow for further
analysis with respect to numerous comments already filed that are
relevant to the Commission's implementation of new radiofrequency
exposure guidelines.
DATES: Reply comments are due by April 25, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Cleveland, Office of Engineering and Technology, Federal
Communications Commission, (202) 653-8169.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. On February 15, 1994, the Mobile Communications Division of the
Telecommunications Industry Association (``TIA'') filed with the
Commission a ``Motion for Extension of Time'' in the above-named
proceeding. TIA has requested that the Commission extend, by a period
of 60 days, the time for filing reply comments.
2. The Commission has proposed to incorporate into its rules the
revised standard of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) and designated IEEE C95.1-1991 (also ANSI/IEEE C95.1-1992) for
human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields.\1\ The deadline
originally established for filing comments in this proceeding was
August 13, 1993, and the date for reply comments was September 13,
1993.
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\1\See Notice of Proposed Rule Making in ET Docket 93-62, 58 FR
19393 (1993), 8 FCC Rcd 2849 (1993).
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3. Previously, on August 3, 1993, the Commission granted a request
filed by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) for an
extension of time of ninety (90) days for filing comments and reply
comments.\2\ This action established a new deadline for filing comments
of November 12, 1993, and a new deadline for filing reply comments of
December 13, 1993.
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\2\See Order Extending Time for Comments and Reply Comments, ET
Docket 93-62, 58 Fed. Reg. 43091 (1993), 8 FCC Rcd 5528 (1993).
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4. Subsequently, on November 2, 1993, CBS, Inc., (``CBS'') and
Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., filed a request to extend the comment and
reply comment deadlines an additional sixty (60) days. The Commission
approved this request changing the deadlines for filing comments and
reply comments to January 11, 1994, and February 10, 1994,
respectively.\3\ On January 3, 1994, CBS filed a request for an
additional 14 day extension. This was also approved resulting in new
dates of January 25, 1994, and February 24, 1994, for comments and
reply comments.\4\
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\3\See Order Extending Comments and Reply Comments, ET Docket
93-62, 58 Fed. Reg. 60827 (November 18, 1993).
\4\See Order Extending Time for Comments and Reply Comments, ET
Docket 93-62, 59 Fed. Reg. 3050 (January 20, 1994).
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5. The first extension was granted to allow NAB time to complete a
study commissioned to develop non-measurement based techniques for
determining compliance with new guidelines. The second extension was
granted in response to filings by CBS, Capital Cities, and Hammett and
Edison, Inc., noting that new information from the NAB study and other
experimental results relevant to the consequences of the proposed
guidelines had only recently become available. CBS and Capital Cities
maintained that additional time was necessary to consider the
implications of the new data, both to determine whether further study
was required and to assess the effect that the proposed guidelines will
have on broadcast operations.
6. The most recent extension was granted to allow CBS an additional
14 days to perform measurements and to organize and analyze data that
is relevant in considering implementation of new guidelines on RF
induced currents. CBS also requested additional time to facilitate the
filing of a single set of comments representing the views of itself and
several other broadcast entities.
7. The TIA represents manufacturers and suppliers of
telecommunications equipment used primarily in the cellular, private
land-mobile radio, cordless radio and personal communications services.
In the latest request for an extension TIA points out that there have
been over 1200 pages of comments filed with the Commission to date in
this proceeding over the approximately nine-month period that was
ultimately allowed for comments. Therefore, TIA maintains that it would
not be equitable to allow only a thirty-day period in which to evaluate
and respond to these comments, especially in view of the complex nature
of the issues involved.
8. The Commission does not routinely grant requests for extensions
of time.\5\ However, we continue to recognize the complexity of the
issues raised by the new exposure guidelines and the difficulties in
developing reasonable methods by which compliance can be evaluated. We
also agree that the many comments filed in this docket to date require
a more reasonable amount of time for review and response. Therefore,
the request by TIA for a further extension is justified.
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\5\47 CFR 1.46 (1991).
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9. Accordingly, It is Ordered that the deadline for filing reply
comments Is Extended to April 25, 1994. This action is taken pursuant
to Sections 4(i) and 303 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
47 U.S.C. 154(i) and 303, and pursuant to sections 0.31, 0.241 and 1.46
of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR 0.31, 0.241 and 1.46.
Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas P. Stanley,
Chief Engineer.
[FR Doc. 94-4218 Filed 2-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-M
