77028 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 237 / Friday, December 8, 2000 / Notices

4. If you estimate potential burden or

costs, explain how you arrived at the

estimate that you provide.

5. Provide specific examples to

illustrate your concerns.

6. Offer alternative ways to improve

the rule or collection activity.

7. Make sure to submit your

comments by the deadline in this

notice.

8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA,

be sure to identify the docket control

number assigned to this action in the

subject line on the first page of your

response. You may also provide the

name, date, and FEDERAL REGISTER

citation.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

On November 16, 1998, EPA released

its draft Agency-wide Multimedia

Strategy for Priority Persistent,

Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT)

Pollutants (PBT Strategy). The goal of

the PBT Strategy is to identify and

reduce risks to human health and the

environment from current and future

exposures to priority PBT pollutants.

This document serves as the Draft

National Action Plan for

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), one of the 12

Level 1 priority PBT pollutants

identified for the initial focus of action

in the PBT Strategy.

Hexachlorobenzene (CAS number

118–74–1) is a white, crystalline solid.

It has been synthesized and used from

the 1940s to the late 1970s as a

fungicide on grain seeds such as wheat.

HCB was also used in the past as a

solvent and as an intermediate and/or

additive in various manufacturing

processes, including the production of

PVC, pyrotechnics and ammunition,

dyes, and pentachlorophenol. Although

HCB is no longer used directly as a

pesticide, it is currently formed as an

inadvertent by-product at trace levels in

the production of chemical solvents,

chlorine-containing compounds, and

several currently used pesticides.

HCB is a highly persistent

environmental toxin that degrades

slowly in air and remains in the

atmosphere through long range

transport. It bioaccumulates in the fatty

tissues and its presence in fish, plants,

and wild game species can be a source

of ingestion exposure for humans. HCB

is considered a probable human

carcinogen and is toxic by all routes of

exposure. Short-term high exposures

can lead to kidney and liver damage,

central nervous system excitation and

seizures, circulatory collapse, and

respiratory depression. Based on studies

conducted on animals, long-term low

exposures may damage a developing

fetus, cause cancer, lead to kidney and

liver damage, and cause fatigue and skin

irritation.

The general population appears to be

exposed to very low concentrations of

HCB. Ingestion of HCB-contaminated

fish and other wildlife is potentially the

most significant source of exposure.

Additional, although significantly less,

exposure may occur through inhalation

or dermal contact. However, certain

subpopulations may be exposed to

higher levels of HCB than the general

population. These include: workers

occupationally exposed to HCB;

individuals living near facilities where

HCB is produced as a by-product;

individuals living near current or former

hazardous waste sites where HCB is

present; recreational and subsistence

fishermen who consume higher

amounts of locally caught fish and

bivalves (mussels, oysters, clams) from

contaminated waters, and native

populations (including Native American

populations such as the Inuits of

Alaska) who consume caribou and other

game species. Finally, nursing infants in

these areas may also be particularly

susceptible to effects due to the singular

nature of their diet.

The goal of the Action Plan is to

identify and further reduce risks to

human health and the environment

from existing and future exposure to

HCB. However, there are information

gaps related to the magnitude of known

and suspected sources of HCB, the

extent of pollution resulting from longrange transport, and the content of HCB

in sinks such as sediments and sewage

sludge that may contribute to

environmental cycling within Unites

States boundaries. Therefore, the

strategic approach of the Agency will

involve voluntary initiatives to reduce

releases and minimize media transfers,

collect information to verify sources and

sinks, and increase involvement with

and assistance to international groups

and other countries to reduce

atmospheric deposition in the United

States.

EPA considers stakeholder

involvement essential to reaching the

goals of the PBT Strategy. Therefore, the

Agency is seeking stakeholder input and

invites comment on this draft National

Action Plan on the following three areas

related to HCB.

1. The identification and

implementation of voluntary initiatives

and outreach opportunities to reduce

releases of and exposure to HCB, while

minimizing controlled and uncontrolled

(e.g., volatilization from water to air,

deposition onto soil or plants) multimedia transfers.

2. Continued information collection

and integration of data across media

regarding sources, sinks, releases,

environmental trends, and human food

and tissue levels for HCB. Data

collection will occur through Binational

Toxics Strategy (BNS) efforts, Maximum

Achievable Control Technology (MACT)

standard development, various EPA

permitting and reporting processes, and

industry involvement.

3. Collaborate (or partner) with

international organizations and foreign

governments to assess the significance

of long-range transport from other

countries and to foster the proliferation

of pollution prevention or control

technology measures that will reduce

inputs of HCB to the environment.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, PBT,

National Action Plan, and HCB.

Dated: November 27, 2000.

Susan H. Wayland,

Assistant Administrator for Office of

Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances.

[FR Doc. 00–31336 Filed 12–7–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–S

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 96–45; DA 00–2661]

The Minnesota Public Utilities

Commission Petitions For Agreement

To Redefine The Service Area Of

Frontier Communications of

Minnesota, Inc.

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In this document, the

Common Carrier Bureau provides notice

that the Minnesota Public Utilities

Commission has filed a petition

requesting the Commission’s consent to

its proposed alternative ‘‘service area’’

definition for Frontier Communications

of Minnesota, Inc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard D. Smith, Attorney, Accounting

Policy Division, Common Carrier

Bureau, (202) 418–7400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

summary of a Commission’s Public

Notice in CC Docket No. 96–45 released

on November 29, 2000. The full text of

this document is available for public

inspection during regular business

hours in the FCC Reference Center,

Room CY–A257, 445 Twelfth Street,

SW., Washington, DC, 20554.

The Common Carrier Bureau provides

notice that the Minnesota Public

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 237 / Friday, December 8, 2000 / Notices 77029

Utilities Commission (Minnesota PUC)

has filed a petition, pursuant to § 54.207

of the Commission’s rules, requesting

the Commission’s consent to its

proposed alternative ‘‘service area’’

definition for Frontier Communications

of Minnesota, Inc. (Frontier). The

Minnesota PUC proposes to adopt a

definition of service area that differs

from Frontier’s ‘‘study area’’ for the

purpose of determining universal

service obligations and support

mechanisms. Specifically, the

Minnesota PUC proposes to classify

each of the 45 individual exchanges

served by Frontier as separate service

areas. The Minnesota PUC contends

that, without a redefinition of Frontier’s

service area, the Minnesota PUC will be

unable to designate another carrier as an

eligible telecommunications carrier

(ETC) to serve any portion of Frontier’s

study area, even if such designation is

in the public interest. The Minnesota

PUC contends that it has taken into

account the recommendations of the

Federal-State Joint Board, as required by

the Communications Act of 1934, as

amended (the Act), and Commission

rules.

Commission Rules

For areas served by a rural telephone

company, section 214(e)(5) of the Act

provides that the company’s service area

will be its study area ‘‘unless and until

the Commission and the States, after

taking into account the

recommendations of a Federal-State

Joint Board instituted under section

410(c) of the Act, establish a different

definition of service area for such

company.’’ Section 54.207 of the

Commission’s rules and the Universal

Service Order, 62 FR 32862, June 17,

1997, set forth the procedures for

consideration of petitions filed by state

commissions seeking to designate

service areas for rural telephone

companies that are different from such

companies’ study areas. Specifically,

§ 54.207(c)(1) provides that such a

petition shall contain: (i) the definition

proposed by the state commission; and

(ii) the state commission’s ruling or

other official statement presenting the

state commission’s reason for adopting

its proposed definition, including an

analysis that takes into account the

recommendations of any Federal-State

Joint Board convened to provide

recommendations with respect to the

definition of a service area served by a

rural telephone company.

The Petition

On October 27, 1999, the Minnesota

PUC issued an order granting

preliminary approval to Minnesota

Cellular Corporation, now known as

Western Wireless Corporation (Western

Wireless), for designation as an ETC

under section 214(e) of the Act. In this

order, the Minnesota PUC found that it

was in the public interest to designate

Western Wireless as an ETC in service

areas served by rural telephone

companies. At that time, the Minnesota

PUC rejected the claim of Frontier that

it was a rural telephone company.

On February 10, 2000, the Minnesota

PUC issued an order on reconsideration

finding, among other things, that

Frontier was a rural telephone company

under the Act. As a rural telephone

company, section 214(e)(5) of the Act

defines Frontier’s service area as its

study area, until and unless the

Commission and the state establish a

different definition. Accordingly,

Frontier’s study area would include all

of Frontier’s 45 existing exchanges in

Minnesota. Pursuant to section 214(e)(1)

of the Commission’s rules, a carrier

designated as an ETC must offer and

advertise the services supported by the

federal universal service mechanism

throughout the entire service area.

Because Western Wireless is licensed to

serve only 29 of the 45 exchanges

comprising Frontier’s Minnesota study

area, the Minnesota PUC rescinded its

preliminary designation of Western

Wireless as an ETC in areas served by

Frontier.

On September 1, 2000, the Minnesota

PUC issued an order concluding that

Frontier’s service area should be

‘‘disaggregated on an exchange by

exchange basis as this would allow

CLECs [competitive local exchange

carriers] which are designated a federal

ETC to receive future federal high-cost

funds, if any, for those exchanges in

which they serve.’’ The Minnesota PUC

noted that Frontier’s study area is

comprised of 45 non-contiguous

exchanges located throughout

Minnesota and concluded that

Frontier’s service area should be

redefined into 45 separate service areas

based on those individual exchanges.

The Minnesota PUC reasoned that this

redefinition would promote competition

by allowing CLECs that are designated

ETCs to receive federal high-cost funds

to provide service in part or all of

Frontier’s current service area. The

Minnesota PUC therefore authorized a

petition to be filed with the Commission

requesting consent to its proposed

alternative service area definition for

Frontier’s Minnesota service territory.

Status

Section 54.207(c)(3) of the

Commission’s rules provides that the

Commission may initiate a proceeding

to consider a petition to redefine the

service area of a rural telephone

company within ninety days of the

release date of a Public Notice. If the

Commission initiates a proceeding to

consider the petition, the proposed

definition shall not take effect until both

the state commission and the

Commission agree upon the definition

of a rural service area, in accordance

with section 214(e)(5) of the Act. If the

Commission does not act on the petition

within 90 days of the release date of the

Public Notice, the definition proposed

by the state commission will be deemed

approved by the Commission and shall

take effect in accordance with state

procedures. Under § 54.207(e) of the

Commission’s rules, the Commission

delegates its authority under § 54.207(c)

to the Chief of the Common Carrier

Bureau.

Federal Communications Commission.

Katherine L. Schroder,

Chief, Accounting Policy Division.

[FR Doc. 00–31351 Filed 12–7–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

Formations of, Acquisitions by, and

Mergers of Bank Holding Companies

The companies listed in this notice

have applied to the Board for approval,

pursuant to the Bank Holding Company

Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.)

(BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part

225), and all other applicable statutes

and regulations to become a bank

holding company and/or to acquire the

assets or the ownership of, control of, or

the power to vote shares of a bank or

bank holding company and all of the

banks and nonbanking companies

owned by the bank holding company,

including the companies listed below.

The applications listed below, as well

as other related filings required by the

Board, are available for immediate

inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank

indicated. The application also will be

available for inspection at the offices of

the Board of Governors. Interested

persons may express their views in

writing on the standards enumerated in

the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the

proposal also involves the acquisition of

a nonbanking company, the review also

includes whether the acquisition of the

nonbanking company complies with the

standards in section 4 of the BHC Act

(12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise

noted, nonbanking activities will be

conducted throughout the United States.

Additional information on all bank

holding companies may be obtained