Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices 8245

Agreement in which A&D Plating, Inc. shall

pay a Civil penalty of $35,000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Persons wishing to receive a copy of

EPA’s Consolidated Rules, review of the

complaint or other documents filed in

this proceeding, comment upon a

proposed assessment, or otherwise

participate in the proceeding should

contact the Regional Hearing Clerk

identified above. The administrative

record for this proceeding is located in

the EPA Regional Office identified

above, and the file will be open for

public inspection during normal

business hours. All information

submitted by the respondent is available

as part of the administrative record,

subject to provisions of law restricting

public disclosure of confidential

information. In order to provide

opportunity for public comment, EPA

will issue no final order assessing a

penalty in these proceedings prior to

thirty (30) days after the date of

publication of this notice.

Dated: February 11, 1997.

Alexis Strauss,

Acting Director, Water Division.

[FR Doc. 97–4494 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–M

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

Farm Credit Administration Notice of

History of the Former Jackson Farm

Credit District

AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Farm Credit

Administration (FCA) is publishing a

notice outlining the history of the

former Jackson Farm Credit District and

explains that the Federal Land Bank of

Jackson (FLBJ) and the Federal Land

Bank Association of Jackson (FLBAJ)

were placed into receivership and that

they no longer exist, that their charters

have been canceled, that the institutions

can no longer assert any claims, that the

Receiver subsequently was discharged

and released, and that all claims against

the receivership are barred.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane

Virga, Senior Attorney, Office of General

Counsel, Farm Credit Administration,

McLean, Virginia 22102–5090, (703)

883–4071, TDD (703) 883–4444.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Like other

lenders, the FLBJ and the FLBAJ

sometimes did not record that borrowers

had paid their mortgages in full. Former

borrowers (and their successors) have

been unable to obtain title insurance or

convey property when the land records

have indicated, incorrectly, that there

was an outstanding mortgage on the

property. Similar problems have also

arisen for others that were associated

with the FLBJ and FLBAJ. The Receiver

for the FLBJ and the FLBAJ was

discharged and released effective

January 30, 1995, and can no longer

provide clarification in such situations.

Neither the FCA nor the Farm Credit

Bank of Texas, which purchased the

majority of the assets of the FLBJ and

the FLBAJ, has the authority to provide

relief to borrowers whose property was

once mortgaged to the FLBJ and FLBAJ

or to others affected by recordation

problems involving those institutions.

Therefore, the FCA is providing the

following information in an effort to

assist affected borrowers and others in

resolving title and other recordation

problems.

The Farm Credit Administration

(FCA), a Federal agency established

under the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as

amended (Act), 12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.,

regulates and examines a nationwide

network of banks, associations, and

related institutions chartered under the

Act. The institutions of the Farm Credit

System furnish credit and closely

related services to farmers, ranchers,

producers and harvesters of aquatic

products, their cooperatives, and farmrelated businesses.

Prior to July 1, 1988, the nation was

geographically divided into 12 Farm

Credit Districts. Traditionally, each

District had one Federal Land Bank,

which made long-term agricultural and

rural housing loans through Federal

land bank associations; one Federal

Intermediate Credit Bank, which

provided shorter term agricultural loans

to eligible borrowers through

production credit associations; and a

Bank for Cooperatives.

The Federal Land Bank of New

Orleans was the Federal Land Bank for

one of the Farm Credit Districts prior to

September 1, 1984. On September 1,

1984, the Federal Land Bank of New

Orleans moved its headquarters from

New Orleans, Louisiana, to Jackson,

Mississippi, and changed its name to

the Federal Land Bank of Jackson

(FLBJ).

On May 20, 1988, the FCA

determined that statutory grounds

existed for the appointment of a receiver

for the FLBJ and the Federal Land Bank

Association of Jackson (FLBAJ), the

Association through which the FLBJ

extended long-term credit, under its

authority in section 4.12 of the Act and

12 CFR 611.1156, and placed the FLBJ

and FLBAJ into receivership. A receiver

was appointed on the same date. See 53

FR 18812, May 20, 1988.

In 1989, the majority of the long-term

loans held by the FLBJ were sold to the

Farm Credit Bank of Texas. In June

1990, the Farm Credit System Banks,

with the exception of the Farm Credit

Bank of Spokane, purchased the

remaining assets of the FLBJ.

On January 27, 1995, the FCA

determined that all assets of the FLBJ

and FLBAJ (including claims it could

assert against others) and claims against

the FLBJ and FLBAJ had been disposed

of by the receiver in accordance with

the provisions of FCA regulations and

the written agreement by and between

the receiver and the FCA. The FCA

therefore ordered that, effective as of

January 30, 1995, all claims of creditors,

stockholders, holders of participation

certificates and other equities, and any

other persons and/or entities against the

FLBJ and FLBAJ were forever and

completely discharged and released.

The FCA Board also provided that the

commencement of any action, the

employment of any process or any other

act to collect, recover, or offset any such

claims was barred. Finally, the charters

of the FLBJ and FLBAJ were canceled.

See 60 FR 7054, Feb. 6, 1995.

The authority to make long-term loans

once exercised by the FLBJ is now

exercised by the Farm Credit Bank of

Texas. Short-term lending authority for

the geographic area formerly served by

the FLBJ is now exercised by AgFirst

Farm Credit Bank. Neither of these

institutions is the legal successor in

interest to the FLBJ or FLBAJ. The

corporate existences of the FLBJ and the

FLBAJ were terminated effective

January 30, 1995, with the termination

of the receivership.

Dated: February 18, 1997.

Floyd Fithian,

Secretary, Farm Credit Administration Board.

[FR Doc. 97–4474 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6705–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

[MM Docket No. 92–266; FCC 96–499]

Statistical Report on Average Rates for

Basic Service, Cable Programming and

Equipment

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Notice; Report.

SUMMARY: Section 623(k) of the

Communications Act of 1934, as

amended, 47 U.S.C. 534(k), which was

added by the Cable Television and

Consumer Protection Act of 1992,

requires the Commission to publish
8246 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices

annually a statistical report on average

rates for the delivery of basic cable

service, other cable programming

services, and equipment. Pursuant to

this requirement, the Commission

conducted a survey and, on January 2,

1997, released its Report on Cable

Industry Prices (‘‘Report’’). The Report

contains data and information that

summarize survey responses from 756

cable franchises concerning cable

industry prices for the delivery of basic

cable service, other cable programming

services, and equipment on three dates:

August 31, 1993, July 14, 1994, and

January 1, 1995. The Report is intended

to examine the effects of the

Commission’s regulation of the cable

industry on cable prices.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan

Hodes, Cable Services Bureau (202)

418–7041 or Kiran Duwadi, Cable

Services Bureau (202) 418–7028.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Report in MM Docket

No. 92–266, FCC 96–499, adopted

December 31, 1996, and released

January 2, 1997. The complete text of

the Report is available for inspection

and copying during normal business

hours in the FCC Reference Center

(Room 239), 1919 M Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C., 20554, and may also

be purchased from the Commission’s

copy contractor, International

Transcription Service (‘‘ITS, Inc.’’),

(202) 857–3800, 2100 M Street, N.W.,

Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20037. In

addition, the complete text of the Report

is available on the Internet at http://

www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/WWW/

csb.html

Synopsis of the Report

1. Pursuant to the statutory

requirement, the distributed survey

gathered information on the prices

charged in two groups of cable

franchises: (1) those in which there was

effective competition, referred to as the

‘‘competitive group,’’ and (2) those in

which there was not, referred to as the

‘‘noncompetitive group.’’ A significant

portion of the noncompetitive group,

representing more than two-thirds of the

total number of subscribers served by

cable operators in franchises included

in the sample, was subject to rate

regulation. The remaining one-third

subscribed to services from cable

operators in franchises which were

unregulated. Three of the more

significant findings of the Report are

summarized below.

2. First, the Report found that prices

charged in the noncompetitive group

were higher in all three time periods

studied than those charged in the

competitive group. In addition, the

Report found that the price differential

between the competitive and

noncompetitive groups was significant

prior to the implementation of rate

regulation under the 1992 Cable Act,

and that the differential narrowed

substantially after rate regulation was

instituted. This finding is consistent

with expectations since the intent of

rate regulation was to simulate the

effects of a competitive marketplace.

3. Specifically, the Report found that

prior to the implementation of rate

regulation, on August 31, 1993, the

average cable rate for services and

equipment charged by the competitive

group was $20.51 per month, and the

average charged by the noncompetitive

group was $22.23 per month, a

differential of 8.4%. After the

imposition of rate regulation, the

differential narrowed to 2.7% ($21.04

charged by the competitive group

compared with $21.61 charged by the

noncompetitive group) in July 1994, and

narrowed further to 2.3% ($21.25

charged by the competitive group

compared with $21.74 charged by the

noncompetitive group) by January 1,

1995. Similarly, a comparison of the

regulated portion of the noncompetitive

group with the competitive group

indicates that the differential in prices

charged for equipment, basic, and other

programming services narrowed even

further to 2.1% in July 1994 and to 1.6%

in January 1995.

4. Second, the Report found a large

drop in equipment prices between

August 1993 and July 1994, the period

during which rate regulation took effect.

For example, the monthly rate for

remotes for the noncompetitive group

dropped from $1.32 per month in

August 1993 to $0.26 in July 1994.

Similarly, over the same period, the

average monthly rate for nonaddressable

converters dropped from $1.58 to $1.27

and for addressable converters, from

$2.46 to $2.17.

5. Third, the Report found that the

average monthly rate per channel

charged by cable operators in franchises

subject to rate regulation fell from $0.62

per channel to $0.53 per channel

between August 1993 and July 1994, a

drop of 14.5%. This decline reflects

both an increase in the average number

of channels received as well as a decline

in the average monthly rate for

programming services. Between July

1994 and January 1995, the per channel

rate remained steady at $0.53 because

the underlying average rate per month

and the average number of channels

offered remained roughly the same. The

number of channels received and the

average price per channel provide a

comparable way of measuring the

services received by cable subscribers.

Ordering Clause

6. It is Ordered that this Report is

issued pursuant to authority contained

in Section 623(k) of the

Communications Act of 1934, as

amended, 47 U.S.C. 534(k).

Federal Communications Commission.

William F. Caton,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–4425 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

Sunshine Act Meeting

February 19, 1997.

Deletion of Agenda Items From

February 20th Open Meeting

The following items have been

deleted from the list of agenda items

scheduled for consideration at the

February 20, 1997, Open Meeting and

previously listed in the Commission’s

Notice of February 13, 1997.

Item No. Bureau Subject

3 ............................ Wireless telecommunications ............... Title: Amendment of the Commission’s Rules Regarding Multiple Address Systems and Implementation of Section 309(j) of the Communications Act—Competitive Bidding (PR Docket No. 93–253).

Summary: The Commission will consider proposing new service, licensing, and

competitive bidding rules for spectrum allocated to Multiple Address Systems in

the Fixed Microwave Services.

4 ............................ Wireless telecommunications ............... Title: Revised of Part 22 and Part 90 of the Commission’s Rules to Facilitate Future Development of Paging Systems (WT Docket No. 96–18) and Implementation of Section 309(j) of the Communications Act—Competitive Bidding (PP

Docket No. 93–253).