Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 243 / Monday, December 18, 2000 / Proposed Rules 79049

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam

Blumenthal, Mass Media Bureau, (202)

418–1600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Commission’s Notice of

Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No.

00–246, adopted December 14, 2000,

and released December 15, 2000. The

full text of this Commission decision is

available for inspection and copying

during normal business hours in the

FCC Reference Center 445 12th Street,

SW., Washington, DC. The complete

text of this decision may also be

purchased from the Commission’s copy

contractor, International Transcription

Services, 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

Television, Digital television

broadcasting.

For the reasons discussed in the

preamble, the Federal Communications

Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR

part 73 as follows:

PART 73—TELEVISION BROADCAST

SERVICES

1. The authority citation for part 73

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334, and

336.

§ 73.622 [Amended]

2. Section 73.622(b), the Table of

Digital Television Allotments under

Montana is amended by removing DTV

Channel 44 and adding DTV Channel 7

at Great Falls.

Federal Communications Commission.

Barbara A. Kreisman,

Chief, Video Services Division, Mass Media

Bureau.

[FR Doc. 00–32133 Filed 12–15–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[DA 00–2603, MM Docket No. 00–6, RM–

9791, RM–9890]

Radio Broadcasting Services; McCook,

Alliance, Imperial, NE, Limon, Parker,

Aspen, Avon, Westcliffe, CO

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission, in response

to the counterproposal of The

Meadowlark Group, permittee of Station

KAVD(FM), Limon, CO, requesting the

substitution of Channel 276C for

Channel 276C1, its reallotment to

Parker, CO, as the community’s first

local aural service, and the modification

of Station KAVD’s permit accordingly,

issues an Order to Show Cause to

Halstead Communications, licensee of

Station KPNY, Channel 271C1, Alliance,

NE, as to why its license should not be

modified to specify operation on

Channel 263C1 and to Imperial Media

Association, permittee of a new station

on Channel 275C, Imperial, NE, as to

why its permit should not be modified

to specify operation on Channel 271C.

The counterproposal was filed in

response to the proposed allotment of

Channel 271C1 to McCook, NE. See 65

FR 4798, February 1, 2000.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or

before January 8, 2001, and reply

comments must be filed on or before

January 23, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications

Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W.,

Room TW–A325, Washington, DC

20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Leslie K. Shapiro, Mass Media Bureau,

(202) 418–2180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Commission proposes the following

channel changes to accommodate the

allotment of Channel 276C to Parker,

CO, at coordinates 39–26–08 NL; 104–

02–05 WL, or alternatively, to Limon,

CO, at coordinates 39–25–27 NL; 104–

00–38 WL: (1) The substitution of

Channel 249C2 for Channel 276C2 at

Avon, CO, at coordinates 39–37–52 NL;

106–27–42 WL, and modify the license

of Station KZYR; (2) substitute Channel

276C3 for Channel 249C3 at Aspen, CO,

at coordinates 39–13–33 NL; 106–50–00

WL, and modify the license of Station

KSPN–FM; (3) substitute Channel 227A

for vacant Channel 276A at Westcliffe,

CO, at coordinates 38–04–28 NL; 105–

32–13 WL; (4) substitute Channel 263C1

for Channel 271C1 at Alliance, NE, at

coordinates 42–07–01 NL; 103–07–09

WL, and modify the license of Station

KPNY; (5) substitute Channel 271C for

Channel 275C at Imperial, NE, at

coordinates 40–45–31 NL; 101–54–32

WL, and modify the construction permit

of Imperial Media Association (BPH–

19970924ML); allot Channel 275C1 to

McCook, NE, at coordinates 40–12–00

NL; 100–51–25 WL. This is a synopsis

of the Commission’s Order to Show

Cause, MM Docket No. 00–6, adopted

November 8, 2000, and released

November 17, 2000. The full text of this

Commission decision is available for

inspection and copying during normal

business hours in the FCC Reference

Center, 445 12th Street, SW,

Washington, DC. The complete text of

this decision may also be purchased

from the Commission’s copy contractor,

International Transcription Services,

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

For the reasons discussed in the

preamble, the Federal Communications

Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR

part 73 as follows:

PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST

SERVICES

1. The authority citation for part 73

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334 and 336.

§ 73.202 [Amended]

2. Section 73.202(b), the Table of FM

Allotments under Colorado, is amended

by adding Channel 276C3 and removing

Channel 249C3 at Aspen, adding

Channel 249C2 and removing Channel

276C2 at Avon, adding Channel 227A

and removing Channel 276A at

Westcliffe, adding Channel 276C and

removing Channel 276C1 at Limon.

Alternatively, remove Channel 276C1 at

Limon and add Parker, Channel 276C.

79050 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 243 / Monday, December 18, 2000 / Proposed Rules

3. Section 73.202(b), the Table of FM

Allotments under Nebraska, is amended

by adding Channel 263C1 and removing

Channel 271C1 at Alliance, adding

Channel 275C1 at McCook, and by

adding Channel 271C and removing

Channel 275C at Imperial.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules

Division, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 00–31311 Filed 12–15–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration

49 CFR Parts 392 and 393

[FMCSA Docket No. FMCSA–97–2289]

RIN 2126–AA27

Development of a North American

Standard for Protection Against

Shifting and Falling Cargo

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM); request for comments.

SUMMARY: The FMCSA proposes to

revise the regulations concerning

protection against shifting and falling

cargo for commercial motor vehicles

(CMVs) engaged in interstate commerce.

We would issue new cargo securement

standards based on the North American

Cargo Securement Standard Model

Regulations, reflecting: The results of a

multi-year comprehensive research

program to evaluate current U.S. and

Canadian cargo securement regulations;

the motor carrier industry’s best

practices; and recommendations

presented during a series of public

meetings involving U.S. and Canadian

industry experts, Federal, State and

Provincial enforcement officials, and

other interested parties. Generally, the

proposed revision would require motor

carriers to change the way they use

cargo securement devices to prevent

certain articles from shifting on or

within, or falling from CMVs. In some

instances, the proposed changes could

require motor carriers to increase the

number of tiedown devices used to

secure certain types of cargoes. The

intent of this rulemaking is to reduce

the number of accidents caused by cargo

shifting on or within, or falling from,

CMVs operating in interstate commerce,

and to harmonize to the greatest extent

practicable U.S., Canadian, and Mexican

cargo securement regulations.

DATES: You must submit comments on

or before March 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: You can mail or hand

deliver comments to the U.S.

Department of Transportation, Dockets

Management Facility, Room PL–401,

400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,

DC 20590–0001. You can also submit

your comments electronically at http://

dms.dot.gov. We can view the NPRM

and all items in the docket at that same

internet address. You should include

the docket number that appears in the

heading of this document in your

comment. You can examine and copy

all comments in the Docket

Management System (DMS) from 9 a.m.

to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday,

except Federal holidays. If you want to

be notified that we received your

comments please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope or

postcard, or print the acknowledgment

page that appears after submitting

comments electronically.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Larry W. Minor, Office of Bus and Truck

Standards and Operations, MC–PSV,

(202) 366–1790; or Mr. Charles E.

Medalen, Office of the Chief Counsel,

MC–CC, (202) 366–1354, Federal Motor

Carrier Safety Administration, 400

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C.

20590–0001. Office hours are from 7:45

a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through

Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On July 27, 1993, the House of

Representatives held a hearing

concerning the adequacy of Federal

regulations on cargo securement, as well

as the enforcement of those regulations

(‘‘Truck Cargo Securement Regulations

and Enforcement, 1993: Hearing Before

the Subcommittee on Investigations and

Oversight of the House of

Representatives’ Committee on Public

Works and Transportation,’’ 103rd

Cong., 1st Sess. 32 (1993)) . The report

of the July 1993 hearing is included in

the public docket. The hearing was

prompted by several cargo securement

accidents that occurred in New York

between 1990 and 1993. During the

hearing, the Federal Highway

Administrator stated that the Ontario

Ministry of Transportation had

requested that the FHWA review a

proposal prepared on behalf of the

Canadian Council of Motor Transport

Administrators (CCMTA)—a non-profit

association of senior officials from

Federal, Provincial, and Territorial

departments and agencies responsible

for the administration, regulation, and

control of motor vehicle transportation

and highway safety—for a research

program to evaluate cargo securement

regulations and industry practices. The

Administrator informed the

subcommittee that the FHWA would

participate in the research effort and

consider incorporating the results of the

research into the Federal Motor Carrier

Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).

A cargo securement research working

group was organized by the CCMTA and

the Ontario Ministry of Transportation

to discuss the research methodology

with industry groups and Federal, State,

and Provincial governments in the

United States and Canada. The working

group, which included representatives

from the FHWA, Transport Canada (the

Federal department responsible for

developing and enforcing the regulatory

aspects of motor vehicle and motor

carrier safety in Canada), the CCMTA,

the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

(CVSA), several States and Provinces,

and U.S. and Canadian industry, held

its first meeting August 16–17, 1993. A

report identifying the cargo securement

issues to be examined through the

research program and describing the

selected research methodology was

published by the Ontario Ministry of

Transportation in November of 1993. A

copy of the minutes of the first meeting

and a copy of the report entitled ‘‘A

Proposal for Research to Provide a

Technical Basis for a Revised National

Standard on Load Security for Heavy

Trucks’’ are included in the public

docket.

Discussion of the Research Project

The North American Load Security

Research Project was initiated to

develop an understanding of the

mechanics of cargo securement on

heavy trucks. The research was

intended to provide a sound technical

basis for development of the North

American Cargo Securement Standard

Model Regulations. Tests were

conducted to examine the fundamental

issues of anchor points, tiedowns,

blocking and friction, and issues related

to securement of dressed lumber

(representative of cargoes that are

loaded lengthwise on a vehicle and

secured with transverse tiedowns), large

metal coils, concrete pipe, intermodal

containers, and other commodities. The

research is documented in the following

reports:

1. ‘‘Experimental Evaluation of Friction

Coefficients of Typical Loads and Trailer

Decks Under Vertical Vibration, North

American Load Security Research Project,

Report 2,’’ Canadian Council of Motor

Transport Administrators, 1997.

2. ‘‘Slippage Tests with Anti-skid Mats,

North American Load Security Research