44966 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 164 / Monday, August 25, 1997 / Notices

Identify significant environmental

issues;

Determine the depth of analysis

appropriate to each issue;

Identify the resource issues not

requiring detailed analysis; and

Identify reasonable project alternatives.

The purpose of the scoping process is

to identify significant issues related to

the proposed action and to determine

what issues should be addressed in the

EIS.

Scoping Meetings

On June 24, 25, and 26, 1997, the

Commission and DEC staffs conducted

scoping meetings, which were

published in the Federal Register dated

May 23, 1997, Volume 62, No. 100, on

page 28461. Due to requests for an

additional scoping meeting and to allow

additional time for individuals to

respond to comments received during

the June scoping meetings, the

Commission and DEC staffs will

conduct two scoping meetings and

extend for 30 days the current 60-day

comment period, which closes August

25, 1997, on SDI. All comments will

now be due no later than September 25,

1997. All interested individuals,

organizations, and agencies are invited

to attend and assist the staff in

identifying the scope of environmental

issues that should be analyzed in the

EIS.

To help focus discussions, SDI has

been circulated to enable appropriate

federal, state, and local resource

agencies, Native American Tribes,

NGOs, and other interested individuals,

organizations, and agencies to

participate effectively in and contribute

to the scoping process. SDI provides a

brief description of the proposed action,

project alternatives, the geographic of

the proposed scope of a cumulative

effects analysis, and a list of preliminary

issues. Copies of SDI will also be made

available at the meetings.

A scoping meeting will be held on

Tuesday, September 9, 1997, from 9:00

a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Akwesasne

Housing Authority, State Route 37

(behind the police station), Hogansburg,

New York. The evening scoping meeting

will be held on Tuesday, September 9,

1997, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the

Akwesasne Housing Authority.

At the scoping meetings, the

Commission staff will: (1) Summarize

the environmental issues tentatively

identified for analysis in the EIS; (2)

solicit from the meetings participants all

available information, especially

quantified data, on the resources at

issue, and (3) encourage statements from

experts and the public on issues that

should be analyzed in the EIS.

Individuals, organizations, and agencies

with environmental expertise and

concerns are encouraged to attend the

meetings and to assist the staffs in

defining and clarifying the issues to be

addressed in the EIS.

Meeting Procedures

The meetings will be recorded by a

stenographer. The minutes will become

a part of the record of the Commission

proceeding on the St. Lawrence-FDR

Project. Individuals presenting

statements at the meetings will be asked

to identify themselves for the record.

Concerned individuals, organizations,

and agencies are encouraged to offer

verbal comments during the public

meetings.

Speaking time will be determined

before the meetings, based on the

number of persons wishing to speak and

the approximate amount of time

available for the session.

Persons choosing not to speak but

wishing to express an opinion, as well

as speakers unable to summarize their

positions within their allotted time, may

submit written statements for inclusion

in the public record.

All written scoping comments must

be filed with the Secretary, Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888

First Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20426,

no later than September 25, 1997. All

filings should contain an original and 5

copies. Failure to file an original and 5

copies may result in appropriate staff

not receiving the benefit of your

comments in a timely manner.

All correspondence should clearly

show the following caption on the first

page: Scoping Comments, St. LawrenceFDR Power Project, Project No. 2000–

010, New York.

All those attending the meetings are

urged to refrain from making any

communications concerning the merits

of the project to any member of the

Commission staff outside of the

established process for developing the

record as stated in the record of the

proceeding.

If you would like to participate in the

meetings or need general information on

the CCP Team and process, as well as

the relicensing process, contact any one

of the following three individuals:

Mr. Thomas R. Tatham, New York

Power Authority, 212–468–6747, 212–

468–6272 (fax), EMAIL: Ytathat@

IP3GATE.USA.COM.

Mr. Keith Silliman, New York State

Dept. of Environmental Conservation,

518–457–0986, 518–457–3978 (fax),

EMAIL: Silliman@ALBANY.NET.

Ms. Patti Leppert-Slack, Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, 202–219–

2767, 202–219–2732 (fax), EMAIL:

Patricia.LeppertSlack, @FERC.FED.

US.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–22440 Filed 8–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information

Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the

Federal Communications Commission

August 19, 1997.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commission, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork burden

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on the

following information collection(s), as

required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. An

agency may not conduct or sponsor a

collection of information unless it

displays a currently valid control

number. No person shall be subject to

any penalty for failing to comply with

a collection of information subject to the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that

does not display a valid control number.

Comments are requested concerning (a)

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

Commission, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the Commission’s

burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information collected; and (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on the respondents,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

DATES: Written comments should be

submitted on or before October 24,

1997. If you anticipate that you will be

submitting comments, but find it

difficult to do so within the period of

time allowed by this notice, you should

advise the contact listed below as soon

as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Judy

Boley, Federal Communications

Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St.,

N.W., Washington, DC 20554 or via

internet to jboley@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

additional information or copies of the

information collections contact Judy

Boley at 202–418–0214 or via internet at

jboley@fcc.gov.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 164 / Monday, August 25, 1997 / Notices 44967

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No.: 3060–0785.

Title: Changes to the Board of

Directors of the National Exchange

Carrier Association and Federal-State

Joint Board on Universal Service, CC

Docket Nos. 97–21 and 96–45.

Form No.: FCC Form 457, Universal

Service Worksheet.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other forprofit entities.

Number of Respondents: 20,000.

Estimated Hour Per Response: 4.31

hours per response (average).

Frequency of Response: On occasion;

semi-annual; quarterly; and monthly

reporting requirements.

Estimated Total Annual Burden:

86,250 hours.

Needs and Uses: The

Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996

Act) directed the Commission to initiate

a rulemaking to reform our system of

universal service so that universal

service is preserved and advanced as

markets move toward competition. To

fulfill that mandate, based on the

recommendations of the Federal-State

Joint Board on Universal Service, the

Commission adopted a Report and

Order in CC Docket No. 96–45 on May

8, 1997 to implement the Congressional

directives set out in section 254 of the

Communications Act of 1934, as

amended by the 1996 Act. In the

Changes to the Board of Directors of the

National Exchange Carrier Association,

Inc. and Federal-State Joint Board on

Universal Service, Report and Order

and Second Order on Reconsideration,

CC Docket Nos. 97–21 and 96–45, the

Commission further clarifies reporting

requirements necessary to calculate

contributions to universal service.

Section 254(d) requires all

telecommunications carriers that

provide interstate telecommunications

services to make equitable and

nondiscriminatory contributions

towards the preservation and

advancement of universal service.

Section 254(d) also permits the

Commission to require providers of

interstate telecommunications to

contribute to universal service if it

would serve the public interest.

Pursuant to section 54.703 of the

Commission’s rules, all contributors

must contribute to the support

mechanisms based on their end-user

telecommunications revenues. End-user

telecommunications revenues are those

revenues derived from end users for

telecommunications or

telecommunications services. End-user

telecommunications revenues also

include revenues from subscriber line

charges. Support for programs for

schools, libraries, and rural health care

providers will be based on interstate,

intrastate and international end-user

telecommunications revenues. Support

for programs for high cost areas and

low-income consumers will be based on

interstate and international end-user

telecommunications revenues. In order

to compute contributions, contributors

must submit semi-annually information

regarding their end-user

telecommunications revenues. Section

54.711 of the Commission’s rules

requires contributing entities to submit

a semi-annual Universal Service

Worksheet, FCC Form 457 (the

Worksheet) and quarterly contributions

to universal service. See 47 C.F.R.

54.711. The Worksheet requires entities

to submit information regarding their

end-user telecommunications revenues.

It will require entities to list their

revenues by several categories and to

specify what portion of their revenues

are attributable to interstate services.

The Worksheet will be used by the

Administrator or Temporary

Administrator to calculate total end-user

telecommunications revenues. This

information shall be used to calculate

the quarterly contribution factors which

shall be applied to individual end-user

telecommunications revenues to

calculate individual contributions.

Universal service contribution factors

shall be based on the ratio of projected

costs of the support mechanisms for the

funding year, including administrative

expenses, to the revenue base,

calculated from information contained

in the Worksheets. The 1998 universal

service funding year will begin January

1, 1998 and end December 31, 1998. The

Administrator or Temporary

Administrator will adjust the

contribution factor every quarter based

on projected demand for services,

administrative costs, etc. The Report

and Order set forth a partial listing of

the types of interstate services for which

contributions must be made. Carriers

that provide interstate services,

including, but not limited to: cellular

telephone and paging services; mobile

radio services; operator services; PCS;

access to interexchange service; special

access; WATS; toll-free services; 900

services; MTS; private line; telex;

telegraph; video services; satellite

services; and resale services must

contribute to the universal service

support mechanisms. See 47 CFR

Section 54.703. The Administrator or

Temporary Administrator will bill

contributors and the contributor will

then submit its quarterly payment to the

Administrator or Temporary

Administrator. Contributors that

provide services to schools, libraries,

and health care providers may be

eligible to receive a credit against their

contributions. A contributor seeking a

credit must submit information to the

Administrator or Temporary

Administrator regarding the services

provided at less than cost. See 47 C.F.R.

54.515. The Administrator or

Temporary Administrator will send

contributors a quarterly bill that will set

out the quarterly contribution due. In

addition, contributors will be allowed to

submit their quarterly contribution with

the information necessary to calculate

any credits. The Commission exempts

certain carriers from the contribution

requirement. If based on the funding

year’s first quarter contribution

percentage, a contributor’s yearly

contribution would be less than $100, it

will not be required to submit a

Worksheet and a contribution. The

information will be used by the

Commission and the Administrator or

Temporary Administrator to calculate

contributions to the universal service

support mechanisms.

OMB Approval No.: 3060–0786.

Title: Petitions for LATA Association

Changes by Independent Telephone

Companies.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for

profit.

Number of Respondents: 20.

Estimated Time Per Response: 6 hours

per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion

reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 120 hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and

Recordkeeping Cost Burden: N/A.

Needs and Uses: In Petitions for

LATA Association Changes by

Independent Telephone Companies,

Memorandum Opinion and Order

(Order), CC Docket No. 96–158, the

Commission pursuant to the provisions

of the Communications Act of 1934, as

amended requests that independent

telephone companies (ITCs) and Bell

Operating Companies provide certain

information to the Commission

regarding ITC requests for changes in

local access and transport area (LATA)

association and modification of LATA

boundaries to permit the change in

association. The Commission has

provided voluntary guidelines to assist

ITCs in filing petitions for changes in

LATA association and connected

modification of LATA boundaries. The

guidelines ask that each LATA

association change request include the
44968 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 164 / Monday, August 25, 1997 / Notices

following information: (1) Type of

request; (2) exchange information; (3)

number of access lines or customers; (4)

public interest statement; (5) a map

showing exchanges and LATA

boundaries involved; (6) a list of

extended local calling service (ELCS)

routes between the independent

exchange and the LATA with which it

is currently associated; and (7) a BOC

supplement requesting a modification of

the LATA boundary. A carrier will be

deemed to have made a prima facie case

supporting grant of the proposed change

in association if the petition: (1) States

that the association change is necessary

because of planned upgrades to the

ITC’s network or service that will

require routing traffic through a

different BOC LATA; (2) involves a

limited number of access lines; and (3)

includes a statement from the affected

BOC(s) requesting a LATA modification.

The guidelines will assist the ITCs in

filing LATA association petitions and

the Commission in determining whether

a change in LATA association should be

granted. The requested information will

be used by the Commission to

determine whether the need for the

proposed changes in LATA association

outweighs the risk of potential

anticompetitive effects, and thus

whether requests for changes in LATA

association and connected

modifications of LATA boundaries

should be granted.

OMB Approval No.: 3060–0784.

Title: USAC Board of Directors

Nomination Process, CC Docket Nos.

97–21 and 96–45.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for

profit.

Number of Respondents: 17.

Estimated Time Per Response: 20

hours per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion;

biennially.

Total Annual Burden: 340 total

annual hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and

Recordkeeping Cost Burden: N/A.

Needs and Uses: In Changes to the

Board of Directors of the National

Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. and

Federal-State Joint Board on Universal

Service, Report and Order and Second

Order on Reconsideration, CC Docket

Nos. 97–21 and 96–45, the Commission

appoints the National Exchange Carrier

Association (NECA) the temporary

administrator of the universal service

support mechanisms, subject to its

creating a separate subsidiary, the

Universal Service Administrative

Company (USAC), to administer the

support programs. The Commission also

directs NECA to create two unaffiliated

corporations to administer portions of

the schools and libraries and rural

health care programs. USAC’s Board of

Directors shall consist of 17 individuals

who represent a cross section of

industry providers and support program

beneficiaries: (1) Three directors shall

represent incumbent local exchange

carriers, with one director representing

the Bell Operating Companies and GTE,

one director representing ILECs (other

than the Bell Operating Companies)

with annual operating revenues in

excess of $40 million, and one director

representing ILECs (other than the Bell

Operating Companies) with annual

operating revenues of $40 million or

less; (2) Two directors shall represent

interexchange carriers, with one director

representing interexchange carriers with

more than $3 billion in annual operating

revenues and one director representing

interexchange carriers with annual

operating revenues of $3 billion or less;

(3) One director shall represent

commercial mobile radio service

(CMRS) providers; (4) One director shall

represent competitive local exchange

carriers; (5) One director shall represent

cable operators; (6) One director shall

represent information service providers;

(7) Three directors shall represent

schools that are eligible to receive

universal service discounts; (8) One

director shall represent libraries that are

eligible to receive universal service

discounts; (9) One director shall

represent rural health care providers

that are eligible to receive supported

services; (10) One director shall

represent low-income consumers; (11)

One director shall represent state

telecommunications regulators; and (12)

One director shall represent state

consumer advocates. The Commission

instructs industry and non-industry

groups to nominate a consensus

candidate for each seat on the Board.

Each of these industry and non-industry

groups shall submit the name of its

nominee for a seat on USAC’s Board of

Directors, along with relevant

professional and biographical

information about the nominee, to the

Chairman of the Federal

Communications Commission within 14

calendar days of the publication of the

Report and Order’s rules in the Federal

Register. Only members of the industry

or non-industry group that a Board

member will represent may submit a

nomination for that position. See 47

C.F.R. Sections 69.614, 69.617. Members

of the USAC Board will be appointed for

two-year terms. Board members may be

re-appointed for subsequent terms

pursuant to the initial nomination and

appointment process described above.

The information will be used by the

Commission to select USAC’s Board of

Directors. The information requested is

not otherwise available. Without such

information the Commission could not

appoint a representative body to USAC’s

Board of Directors and, therefore, could

not fulfill its statutory responsibilities in

accordance with the Communications

Act of 1934, as amended.

OMB Approval No.: 3060–0646.

Title: Policies and Rules Concerning

Unauthorized Changes of Consumers’

Long Distance Carriers (CC Docket 94–

129).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for

profit.

Number of Respondents: 500.

Estimated Time Per Response: 2 hours

per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion

reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 1000 hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and

Recordkeeping Cost Burden: N/A.

Needs and Uses: Interexchange

carriers are required to provide

consumers with letters of agency (LOA)

that are physically separate or severable

from any inducements or promotional

materials. The letter of agency must be

written in clear and unambiguous

language and printed in a font whose

size and style are comparable to the

inducement. On July 15, 1997, the

Commission released a combined

Further Notice of proposed Rulemaking

and Memorandum Opinion and Order

on Reconsideration which amends the

Commission’s rules and policies

governing the unauthorized switching of

subscribers’ primary interexchange

carriers (PICs). In the Order on

Reconsideration the Commission

amends its rules regarding changes in

subscribers’ long distance carriers in

three respects. The Commission

amended its rules to (1) require carriers

using letters of agency to fully translate

the LOA into the same language as

associated promotional materials, oral

descriptions and instructions; (2)

incorporate the terms interLATA and

intraLATA into 64.1150(e)(4); and, (3)

clarify that carriers must confirm orders

for long distance service by

telemarketing using only one of the four

verification options contained in

Section 64.1100.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 164 / Monday, August 25, 1997 / Notices 44969

Federal Communications Commission

William F. Caton,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–22547 Filed 8–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information

Collection(s) Submitted to OMB for

Review and Approval

August 19, 1997.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commission, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork burden

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on the

following information collection(s), as

required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. An

agency may not conduct or sponsor a

collection of information unless it

displays a currently valid control

number. No person shall be subject to

any penalty for failing to comply with

a collection of information subject to the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that

does not display a valid control number.

Comments are requested concerning (a)

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

Commission, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the Commission’s

burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information collected; and (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on the respondents,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

DATES: Written comments should be

submitted on or before September 24,

1997. If you anticipate that you will be

submitting comments, but find it

difficult to do so within the period of

time allowed by this notice, you should

advise the contact listed below as soon

as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Judy

Boley, Federal Communications

Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St.,

N.W., Washington, DC 20554 or via

internet to jboley@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

additional information or copies of the

information collection(s) contact Judy

Boley at 202–418–0214 or via internet at

jboley@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval Number: 3060–0767.

Title:

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other forprofit; individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 44,000.

Estimated Time Per Response:

Ownership and Gross Revenues

Information—.5 to 4 hours; Disclosure

of Terms of Joint Bidding Agreements—

.5 hours; Maintaining Ownership and

Gross Revenues Information—4 hours

per response and 5 year retention;

Transfer Disclosure—.5 hours.

Cost to Respondents: $45,734,700.

Total Annual Burden: 764,500 hours.

Needs and Uses: The ownership,

gross revenues and joint bidding

agreement information portions of this

collection will be used by the

Commission to determine whether the

applicant is legally, technically and

financially qualified to be a licensee.

Without such information, the

Commission could not determine

whether to issue the licenses to the

applicants that provide

telecommunications, multi-channel

video programming distribution and

other communications services to the

public and therefore fulfill its statutory

responsibilities in accordance with the

Communications Act of 1934, as

amended. The information will also be

used to ensure the market integrity of

future auctions. Likewise, the

information collected in connection

with § 1.2111(a) of the Commission’s

rules 47 CFR 1.2111(a) will be used to

maintain the market integrity of future

auctions and prevent unjust enrichment.

Federal Communications Commission.

William F. Caton,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–22480 Filed 8–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 97–137; FCC 97–298]

Application of Ameritech Michigan

Pursuant to Section 271 of the

Communications Act of 1934, as

Amended, To Provide In-Region,

InterLATA Services in Michigan

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Memorandum Opinion

and Order (Order) in CC Docket No. 97–

137 concludes that Ameritech Michigan

(Ameritech) has not satisfied the

requirements of section 271 of the

Communications Act of 1934, as

amended (Act). The Commission

therefore denies Ameritech’s

application for authorization to provide

in-region, interLATA services in

Michigan. The Order declines to grant

Ameritech authority to provide inregion, interLATA services in Michigan.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 19, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Melissa Waksman, Attorney, Policy and

Program Planning Division, Common

Carrier Bureau, (202) 418–1580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

summary of the Commission’s Order

adopted and released August 19, 1997.

The full text of this Order is available

for inspection and copying during

normal business hours in the FCC

Reference Center, 1919 M St., NW,

Room 239, Washington, DC. The

complete text also may be obtained

through the World Wide Web, at http:/

/www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common

Carrier/Orders/fcc97–298.wp, or may be

purchased from the Commission’s copy

contractor, International Transcription

Service, Inc., (202) 857–3800, 1231 20th

St., NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Synopsis of Order

1. On May 21, 1997, Ameritech

Michigan (Ameritech) filed an

application for authorization under

section 271 of the Communications Act

of 1934, as amended, to provide inregion, interLATA services in the State

of Michigan. In this Order, the

Commission finds that Ameritech has

met its burden of demonstrating that it

is providing access and interconnection

to an unaffiliated, facilities-based

provider of telephone exchange service

to residential and business subscribers

in Michigan, as required by section

271(c)(1)(A) of the statute. The

Commission further concludes,

however, that Ameritech has not yet

demonstrated that it has fully

implemented the competitive checklist

in section 271(c)(2)(B). In particular, the

Commission finds that Ameritech has

not met its burden of showing that it

meets the competitive checklist with

respect to: (1) Access to its operations

support systems; (2) interconnection;

and (3) access to its 911 and E911

services. In addition, the Commission

finds that Ameritech has not

demonstrated that its ‘‘requested [inregion, interLATA authorization] will be

carried out in accordance’’ with the

structural and transactional

requirements of sections 272(b)(3) and

272(b)(5), respectively. Accordingly, the

Commission, pursuant to section

271(d)(3) of the Communications Act of