46708 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 171 / Thursday, September 4, 1997 / Proposed Rules

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules

Division, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 97–23438 Filed 9–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 97–190; RM–9139]

Radio Broadcasting Services; Ipswich,

SD

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission requests

comments on a petition filed by

Mountain Tower Broadcasting

proposing the allotment of Channel

300A at Ipswich, South Dakota, as the

community’s first local aural

transmission service. Channel 300A can

be allotted to Ipswich in compliance

with the Commission’s minimum

distance separation requirements at city

reference coordinates. The coordinates

for Channel 300A at Ipswich are North

Latitude 45–26–42 and West Longitude

99–01–48.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or

before October 20, 1997, and reply

comments on or before November 4,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications

Commission, Washington, DC 20554. In

addition to filing comments with the

FCC, interested parties should serve the

petitioner, his counsel, or consultant, as

follows: Victor A. Michael, Jr.,

President, Mountain Tower

Broadcasting, c/o Magic City Media,

1912 Capitol Avenue, Suite 300,

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001(Petitioner).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sharon P. McDonald, Mass Media

Bureau, (202) 418–2180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Commission’s Notice of

Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No.

97–190, adopted August 20, 1997, and

released August 29, 1997. The full text

of this Commission decision is available

for inspection and copying during

normal business hours in the FCC

Reference Center (Room 239), 1919 M

Street, NW., Washington, DC. The

complete text of this decision may also

be purchased from the Commission’s

copy contractor, International

Transcription Service, Inc., (202) 857–

3800, 1231 20th Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20036.

Provisions of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act of 1980 do not apply to

this proceeding.

Members of the public should note

that from the time a Notice of Proposed

Rule Making is issued until the matter

is no longer subject to Commission

consideration or court review, all ex

parte contacts are prohibited in

Commission proceedings, such as this

one, which involve channel allotments.

See 47 CFR 1.1204(b) for rules

governing permissible ex parte contacts.

For information regarding proper

filing procedures for comments, see 47

CFR 1.415 and 1.420.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

Radio broadcasting.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules

Division, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 97–23441 Filed 9–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 97–191; RM–9140]

Radio Broadcasting Services; Murdo,

SD

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission requests

comments on a petition filed by Windy

Valley Broadcasting proposing the

allotment of Channel 285A at Murdo,

South Dakota, as the community’s first

local aural transmission service.

Channel 285A can be allotted to Murdo

in compliance with the Commission’s

minimum distance separation

requirements at city reference

coordinates. The coordinates for

Channel 285A at Murdo are North

Latitude 43–53–24 and West Longitude

100–43–06.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or

before October 20, 1997, and reply

comments on or before November 4,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications

Commission, Washington, DC 20554. In

addition to filing comments with the

FCC, interested parties should serve the

petitioner, his counsel, or consultant, as

follows: Victor A. Michael, Jr.,

President, Windy Valley Broadcasting,

c/o Magic City Media, 1912 Capitol

Avenue, Suite 300, Cheyenne, Wyoming

82001 (Petitioner).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sharon P. McDonald, Mass Media

Bureau, (202) 418–2180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Commission’s Notice of

Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No.

97–191, adopted August 20, 1997, and

released August 29, 1997. The full text

of this Commission decision is available

for inspection and copying during

normal business hours in the FCC

Reference Center (Room 239), 1919 M

Street, NW., Washington, DC. The

complete text of this decision may also

be purchased from the Commission’s

copy contractor, International

Transcription Service, Inc., (202) 857–

3800, 1231 20th Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20036.

Provisions of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act of 1980 do not apply to

this proceeding.

Members of the public should note

that from the time a Notice of Proposed

Rule Making is issued until the matter

is no longer subject to Commission

consideration or court review, all ex

parte contacts are prohibited in

Commission proceedings, such as this

one, which involve channel allotments.

See 47 CFR 1.1204(b) for rules

governing permissible ex parte contacts.

For information regarding proper

filing procedures for comments, see 47

CFR 1.415 and 1.420.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

Radio broadcasting.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules

Division, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 97–23440 Filed 9–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 97–188, RM–9137]

Radio Broadcasting Services; Macon,

MS

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission requests

comments on a petition filed by Team

Broadcasting Company, Inc., requesting

the allotment of Channel 244A to

Macon, Mississippi, as the community’s

local aural transmission service.

Channel 244A can be allotted to Macon

in compliance with the Commission’s

minimum distance separation
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 171 / Thursday, September 4, 1997 / Proposed Rules 46709

requirements with a site restriction of

4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles) west in order

to avoid a short-spacing conflict with

the licensed operation of Station WMJJ–

FM, Channel 243C, Birmingham,

Alabama. The coordinates for Channel

244A at Macon are 33–07–25 NL and

88–36–34 WL.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or

before October 20, 1997, and reply

comments on or before November 4,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications

Commission, Washington, DC 20554. In

addition to filing comments with the

FCC, interested parties should serve the

petitioner, or its counsel or consultant,

as follows: Ruben C. Hughes, President,

Team Broadcasting Company, Inc., 561

Golden Avenue, Mobile, Alabama 36617

(Petitioner).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam

Blumenthal, Mass Media Bureau, (202)

418–2180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Commission’s Notice of

Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No.

97–188, adopted August 20, 1997, and

released August 29, 1997. The full text

of this Commission decision is available

for inspection and copying during

normal business hours in the FCC’s

Reference Center (Room 239), 1919 M

Street, NW, Washington, DC. The

complete text of this decision may also

be purchased from the Commission’s

copy contractor, ITS, Inc., (202) 857–

3800, 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 140,

Washington, DC 20037.

Provisions of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act of 1980 do not apply to

this proceeding.

Members of the public should note

that from the time a Notice of Proposed

Rule Making is issued until the matter

is no longer subject to Commission

consideration or court review, all ex

parte contacts are prohibited in

Commission proceedings, such as this

one, which involve channel allotments.

See 47 CFR 1.1204(b) for rules

governing permissible ex parte contacts.

For information regarding proper

filing procedures for comments, see 47

CFR 1.415 and 1.420.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

Radio broadcasting.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules

Division, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 97–23439 Filed 9–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a

Petition to List the Alexander

Archipelago Wolf as Threatened and to

Designate Critical Habitat

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 12-month petition

finding.

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) announces a 12-month finding

for a petition to list the Alexander

Archipelago wolf (Canis lupus ligoni)

under the Endangered Species Act of

1973, as amended. After review of all

available scientific and commercial

information, the Service finds that

listing the Alexander Archipelago wolf

as threatened is not warranted.

DATES: The finding announced in this

document was made on August 28,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Data, information,

comments, or questions concerning this

petition should be sent to the Field

Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Ecological Services Field

Office, 3000 Vintage Blvd., Suite 201,

Juneau, Alaska 99801–7100. The

petition finding, supporting data, and

comments are available for public

inspection, by appointment, during

normal business hours at the above

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

Lindell, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at

the above address, or by calling 907/

586–7240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended (16

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that, for

any petition to revise the Lists of

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

and Plants that contains substantial

scientific and commercial information,

the Service make a finding on whether

the petitioned action is (a) not

warranted, (b) warranted, or (c)

warranted but precluded from

immediate proposal by other pending

proposals of higher priority.

On December 17, 1993, the Service

received a petition to list the Alexander

Archipelago wolf as threatened under

the Act from the Biodiversity Legal

Foundation, Eric Holle, and Martin

Berghoffen. On May 20, 1994, the

Service announced a 90-day finding (59

FR 26476) that the petition presented

substantial information indicating that

the requested action may be warranted

and opened a public comment period

until October 1, 1994 (59 FR 26476 and

59 FR 44122). The Service issued its 12-

month finding that listing the Alexander

Archipelago wolf was not warranted on

February 23, 1995 (60 FR 10056).

On February 7, 1996, the Southwest

Center for Biological Diversity,

Biodiversity Legal Foundation, Save the

West, Save America’s Forests, Native

Forest Network, Native Forest Council,

Eric Holle, Martin Berghoffen, and Don

Muller filed suit in the United States

Court for the District of Columbia

challenging the Service’s not warranted

finding. On October 9, 1996, the United

States District Court remanded the 12-

month finding to the Secretary of the

Interior, instructing him to reconsider

the determination ‘‘on the basis of the

current forest plan, and status of the

wolf and its habitat, as they stand

today’’ (96 CV 00227 DDC).

On December 5, 1996, a public

comment period was opened by the

Service (61 FR 64497). It was extended

until April 4, 1997, through three

subsequent notices (61 FR 69065; 62 FR

6930; and 62 FR 14662). Prior to a final

determination, however, the Forest

Service issued the Tongass Land

Management Plan Revision, which

superseded the 1979 version of the plan.

In keeping with the United States

District Court’s order that a finding be

based upon the ‘‘current forest plan,’’

the District Court granted an extension

until August 31, 1997, so that the

petitioners, the public, and the Service

could reconsider the status of the

Alexander Archipelago wolf under the

revised Tongass Land Management

Plan. Therefore, the Service reopened

the public comment period from June

12, 1997, to July 28, 1997 (62 FR 32070).

The Service has reevaluated the

petition and the literature cited in the

petition, reviewed other available

literature and information, and

consulted with biologists and

researchers familiar with gray wolves in

general, and the Alexander Archipelago

wolf in particular. The 1997 revised

Tongass National Forest Land

Management Plan formed the basis for

evaluating the status of the wolf on the

Tongass National Forest. On the basis of

the best scientific and commercial

information available, the Service finds

that listing the Alexander Archipelago

wolf as threatened is not warranted.

The taxonomic status of wolves in

southeast Alaska, commonly referred to

as Alexander Archipelago wolves, is

uncertain. Nevertheless, the Service

believes that there is persuasive support