Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / Rules and Regulations 19555

Area served Federal records center

The entire Federal Government personnel records of separated Federal

employees; medical and pay records of all Federal employees; designated medical records of Army and Air Force military personnel

and their dependents; and records of agencies in the St. Louis area

(Missouri only), of Scott AFB, IL, and of the Memphis Service Center,

Internal Revenue Service.

National Personnel Records Center (Civilian Personnel Records), 111

Winnebago St., St. Louis, MO 63118–4199.

National collection of long term records ................................................... Federal Records Center, 100 Dan Fox Dr., Pittsfield, MA 01201–8230.

Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and

Rhode Island.

Federal Records Center, 380 Trapelo Rd., Waltham, MA 02154–6399.

New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands .................. Federal Records Center, Military Ocean Terminal, Bldg. 22, Bayonne,

NJ 07002–5388.

Delaware, Pennsylvania, and U.S. court records for Maryland, Virginia,

and West Virginia.

Federal Records Center, 14700 Townsend Rd., Philadelphia, PA

19154–1025.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama,

Georgia, Florida, and Kentucky.

Federal Records Center, 1557 St. Joseph Ave., East Point, GA 30344–

2593.

Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and U.S. court records for Indiana,

Michigan, and Ohio.

Federal Records Center, 7358 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60629–

5898.

Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio except for U.S. court records ..................... Federal Records Center, 3150 Springboro Drive, Dayton, OH 45439–

1883.

Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri except greater St. Louis area .... Federal Records Center, 2312 E. Bannister Rd., Kansas City, MO

64131–3060.

Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico ...................... Federal Records Center, P.O. Box 6216, Fort Worth, TX 76115–0216.

Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota Federal Records Center, Denver Federal Center Bldg. 48, P.O. Box

25307, Denver, CO 80225–0307.

Nevada except Clark County, California except southern California,

American Samoa.

Federal Records Center, 1000 Commodore Dr., San Bruno, CA

94066–2350.

Arizona; Clark County, Nevada, and southern California (counties of

San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernadino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, Inyo, Imperial, and San Diego).

Federal Records Center, 24000 Avila Rd., P.O. Box 6719, Laguna

Niguel, CA 92607–6719.

Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, and Pacific Ocean area

(except American Samoa).

Federal Records Center, 6125 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA

98115–7999.

5. Section 1228.164 is amended by

revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:

§ 1228.164 Disposal clearances for

records in Federal records centers.

* * * * *

(c) Other records of Federal agencies

held by Federal records centers will be

destroyed with the concurrence of the

agency concerned by use of NA Form

13001, Notice of Intent to Destroy

Records, or other written concurrence

for each disposal action. If an agency is

notified of the eligibility of its records

for disposal and the agency fails to

respond to this notification within 90

calendar days, the records will be

destroyed in accordance with the

appropriate disposition authority. If an

agency does not concur in the

scheduled destruction of an accession,

the agency may request extended

retention of the records for up to an

additional 6 months by submitting

written justification, including a new

disposal date, within 90 days to the

records center director. Further

extensions must be requested in

accordance with § 1228.54 of this part.

Dated: December 27, 1995

John W. Carlin,

Archivist of the United States.

[FR Doc. 96–10888 Filed 5–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7515–01–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CA 070–0001a; FRL–5451–9]

Approval and Promulgation of

Implementation Plans; California State

Implementation Plan Revision, San

Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution

Control District

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Direct final rule.

SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final

action on revisions to the California

State Implementation Plan (SIP). The

revisions concern rules from the San

Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution

Control District (SJVUAPCD). This

approval action will incorporate these

rules into the federally approved SIP.

The intended effect of approving these

rules is to regulate emissions of volatile

organic compounds (VOCs) in

accordance with the requirements of the

Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990

(CAA or the Act). The rules control VOC

emissions from the transfer of gasoline

into stationary storage containers,

delivery vessels, bulk plants, and

vehicle fuel tanks. Thus, EPA is

finalizing the approval of these

revisions into the California SIP under

provisions of the CAA regarding EPA

action on SIP submittals, SIPs for

national primary and secondary ambient

air quality standards and plan

requirements for nonattainment areas.

DATES: This action is effective on July 1,

1996, unless adverse or critical

comments are received by June 3, 1996.

If the effective date is delayed, a timely

notice will be published in the Federal

Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the rule revisions

and EPA’s evaluation report for each

rule are available for public inspection

at EPA’s Region IX office during normal

business hours. Copies of the submitted

rules are available for inspection at the

following locations:

Rulemaking Section (A–5–3), Air and

Toxics Division, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Region IX, 75

Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA

94105.

Environmental Protection Agency, Air

Docket (6102), 401 ‘‘M’’ Street, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20460.

California Air Resources Board,

Stationary Source Division, Rule

Evaluation Section, 2020 ‘‘L’’ Street,

Sacramento, CA 95814.

San Joaquin Valley Unified Air

Pollution Control District, 1999

Tuolumne Street, Fresno, CA 93721.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christine Vineyard, Rulemaking Section

(A–5–3), Air and Toxics Division, U.S.
19556 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / Rules and Regulations

1At that time, Kern County included portions of

two air basins: the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin and

the Southeast Desert Air Basin. The San Joaquin

Valley Air Basin portion of Kern County was

designated as nonattainment, and the Southeast

Desert Air Basin portion of Kern County was

designated as unclassified. See CFR 81.305 (1991).

2This extension was not requested for the

following counties: Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced

and Tulare. Thus, the attainment date for these

counties remained December 31, 1982.

3 Among other things, the pre-amendment

guidance consists of those portions of the proposed

Post-1987 ozone and carbon monoxide policy that

concern RACT, 52 FR 45044 (November 24, 1987);

‘‘Issues Relating to VOC Regulation Cutpoints,

Deficiencies, and Deviations, Clarification to

Appendix D of November 24, 1987 Federal Register

Notice’’ (Blue Book) (notice of availability was

published in the Federal Register on May 25, 1988);

and the existing control technique guidelines

(CTGs).

4 The San Joaquin Valley Air Basin was retained

its designation of nonattainment and was classified

by operation of law pursuant to sections 107(d) and

181(a) upon the date of enactment of the CAA. See

55 FR 56694 (November 6, 1991).

5 EPA adopted the completeness criteria on

February 16, 1990 (55 FR 5830) and, pursuant to

section 110(k)(1)(A) of the CAA, revised the criteria

on August 26, 1991 (56 FR 42216).

Environmental Protection Agency,

Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San

Francisco, CA 94105, Telephone: (415)

744–1197.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Applicability

The SJVUAPCD rules being approved

into the California SIP include: Rule

4621, Gasoline Transfer into Stationary

Storage containers, Delivery Vessels,

and Bulk Plants, and Rule 4622,

Transfer of Gasoline into Vehicle Fuel

Tanks. These rules were submitted by

the California Air Resources Board

(CARB) to EPA on November 18, 1993

and May 24, 1994, respectively.

Background

On March 3, 1978, EPA promulgated

a list of ozone nonattainment areas

under the provisions of the Clean Air

Act, as amended in 1977 (1977 Act or

pre-amended Act), that included the

San Joaquin Valley Air Basin which

includes the following eight air

pollution control districts (APCDs):

Fresno County APCD, Kern County

APCD,1 King County APCD, Madera

County APCD, Merced County APCD,

San Joaquin County APCD, Stanislaus

County APCD, and Tulare County

APCD. 43 FR 8964, 40 CFR 81.305. The

SJVUAPCD has authority over the San

Joaquin Valley Air Basin which

includes all the above eight counties

except for the Southeast Desert Air

Basin portion of Kern County. Because

these areas were unable to meet the

statutory attainment date of December

31, 1982, California requested under

section 172(a)(2), and EPA approved, an

extension of the attainment date to

December 31, 1987.2 On May 26, 1988,

EPA notified the Governor of California,

pursuant to section 110(a)(2)(H) of the

1977 Act, that the above districts’

portions of the California SIP were

inadequate to attain and maintain the

ozone standard and requested that

deficiencies in the existing SIP be

corrected (EPA’s SIP-Call). On

November 15, 1990, the Clean Air Act

Amendments of 1990 were enacted.

Pub. L. 101–549, 104 Stat. 2399,

codified at 42 U.S.C. 7401–7671q. In

amended section 182 (a)(2)(A) of the

CAA, Congress statutorily adopted the

requirement that nonattainment areas

fix their deficient reasonably available

control technology (RACT) rules for

ozone and established a deadline of May

15, 1991 for states to submit corrections

of those deficiencies.

Section 182 (a)(2)(A) applies to areas

designated as nonattainment prior to

enactment of the amendments and

classified as marginal or above as of the

date of enactment. It requires such areas

to adopt and correct RACT rules

pursuant to pre-amended section 172 (b)

as interpreted in pre-amendment

guidance.3 EPA’s SIP-Call used that

guidance to indicate the necessary

corrections for specific nonattainment

areas. The San Joaquin Valley Air Basin

is classified as serious 4; therefore, this

area was subject to the RACT fix-up

requirement and the May 15, 1991

deadline.

The State of California submitted

many revised RACT rules for

incorporation into its SIP on November

18, 1993 and May 24, 1994, including

the rules being acted on in this

document. This document addresses

EPA’s direct-final action for SJVUAPCD

Rule 4621, Gasoline Transfer into

Stationary Storage Containers, Delivery

Vessels, and Bulk Plants, and Rule 4622,

Transfer of Gasoline into Vehicle Fuel

Tanks. SJVUAPCD adopted Rule 4621

on May 20, 1993 and Rule 4622 on

February 17, 1994. These submitted

rules were found to be complete on

December 23, 1993 and July 14, 1994,

respectively, pursuant to EPA’s

completeness criteria that are set forth

in 40 CFR part 51, Appendix V 5 and are

being finalized for approval into the SIP.

Rule 4621 limits VOC emissions from

the transfer of gasoline into stationary

storage containers, delivery vessels, and

gasoline bulk plants. Rule 4622 limits

VOC emissions in gasoline vapors

during the transfer of gasoline into

vehicle fuel tanks. VOCs contribute to

the production of ground level ozone

and smog. These rules were originally

adopted as part of SJVUAPCD’s effort to

achieve the National Ambient Air

Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone

and in response to EPA’s SIP-Call and

the section 182 (a)(2)(A) CAA

requirement. The following is EPA’s

evaluation and final action for these

rules.

EPA Evaluation and Action

In determining the approvability of a

VOC rule, EPA must evaluate the rule

for consistency with the requirements of

the CAA and EPA regulations, as found

in section 110 and part D of the CAA

and 40 CFR part 51 (Requirements for

Preparation, Adoption, and Submittal of

Implementation Plans). The EPA

interpretation of these requirements,

which forms the basis for today’s action,

appears in the various EPA policy

guidance documents listed in footnote

1. Among those provisions is the

requirement that a VOC rule must, at a

minimum, provide for the

implementation of RACT for stationary

sources of VOC emissions. This

requirement was carried forth from the

pre-amended Act.

For the purpose of assisting state and

local agencies in developing RACT

rules, EPA prepared a series of Control

Technique Guideline (CTG) documents.

The CTGs are based on the underlying

requirements of the Act and specify the

presumptive norms for what is RACT

for specific source categories. Under the

CAA, Congress ratified EPA’s use of

these documents, as well as other

Agency policy, for requiring States to

‘‘fix-up’’ their RACT rules. See section

182(a)(2)(A). The CTG applicable to

Rule 4621 is entitled, Control of Volatile

Organic Emissions from Bulk Gasoline

Plants, EPA–450/2–77–035; and Control

of Volatile Organic Compound Leaks

from Gasoline Tank Trucks and Vapor

Collection Systems, EPA–450/2–78–051.

Rule 4622 was compared to EPA’s draft

model Stage II Rule, dated August 17,

1992. Further interpretations of EPA

policy are found in the Blue Book,

referred to in footnote 1. In general,

these guidance documents have been set

forth to ensure that VOC rules are fully

enforceable and strengthen or maintain

the SIP.

SJVUAPCD’s submitted Rule 4621,

Gasoline Transfer into Stationary

Storage Containers, Delivery Vessels,

and Bulk Plants includes the following

significant changes from the current SIP,

Rule 411.1, Storage of Gasoline into

Stationary Storage Containers:

• The scope of the rule was expanded

to include delivery vessels and bulk

plants.

• The definitions section was

expanded for rule clarity.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / Rules and Regulations 19557

• The exemption section was revised

to include a limited exemption for

delivery vessels.

• A requirement was added for

gasoline bulk plants.

• Recordkeeping and test method

requirements were added.

• The compliance schedule was

revised.

SJVUAPCD Rule 4622, Transfer of

Gasoline into Vehicle Fuel Tanks,

includes the following significant

changes from the current SIP Rule

411.2:

• An applicability and purpose

statement was added to the rule for

clarity.

• The definitions section was

expanded.

• Recordkeeping and test method

requirements were added.

• The compliance schedule was

revised.

SJVUAPCD Rules 4621 and 4622 were

amended and renumbered several times.

A detailed description and history of

each rule is contained in the associated

technical support document, dated

February 8, 1996.

EPA has evaluated the submitted

rules and has determined that they are

consistent with the CAA, EPA

regulations, and EPA policy. Therefore,

SJVUAPCD Rule 4621, Gasoline

Transfer into Stationary Storage

Containers, Delivery Vessels, and Bulk

Plants, and Rule 4622, Transfer of

Gasoline into Vehicle Fuel Tanks are

being approved under section 110(k)(3)

of the CAA as meeting the requirements

of section 110(a) and part D.

Nothing in this action should be

construed as permitting or allowing or

establishing a precedent for any future

implementation plan. Each request for

revision to the state implementation

plan shall be considered separately in

light of specific technical, economic,

and environmental factors and in

relation to relevant statutory and

regulatory requirements.

EPA is publishing this document

without prior proposal because the

Agency views this as a noncontroversial

amendment and anticipates no adverse

comments. However, in a separate

document in this Federal Register

publication, the EPA is proposing to

approve the SIP revision should adverse

or critical comments be filed. This

action will be effective July 1, 1996,

unless, by June 3, 1996, adverse or

critical comments are received.

If the EPA receives such comments,

this action will be withdrawn before the

effective date by publishing a

subsequent notice that will withdraw

the final action. All public comments

received will then be addressed in a

subsequent final rule based on this

action serving as a proposed rule. The

EPA will not institute a second

comment period on this action. Any

parties interested in commenting on this

action should do so at this time. If no

such comments are received, the public

is advised that this action will be

effective July 1, 1996.

Regulatory Process

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act,

5 U.S.C. 600 et. seq., EPA must prepare

a regulatory flexibility analysis

assessing the impact of any proposed or

final rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C.

§ § 603 and 604. Alternatively, EPA may

certify that the rule will not have a

significant impact on a substantial

number of small entities. Small entities

include small businesses, small not-forprofit enterprises and government

entities with jurisdiction over

population of less than 50,000.

SIP approvals under sections 110 and

301(a) and subchapter I, Part D of the

CAA do not create any new

requirements, but simply approve

requirements that the State is already

imposing. Therefore, because the

Federal SIP-approval does not impose

any new requirements, I certify that it

does not have a significant impact on

any small entities affected. Moreover,

due to the nature of the Federal-state

relationship under the CAA, preparation

of a regulatory flexibility analysis would

constitute Federal inquiry into the

economic reasonableness of state action.

The CAA forbids EPA to base its actions

concerning SIPs on such grounds.

Union Electric Co. v. U.S. E.P.A., 427

U.S. 246, 256–66 (S. Ct. 1976); 42 U.S.C.

7410 (a)(2).

Unfunded Mandates

Under Sections 202, 203, and 205 of

the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of

1995 (‘‘Unfunded Mandates Act’’),

signed into law on March 22, 1995, EPA

must undertake various actions in

association with proposed or final rules

that include a Federal mandate that may

result in estimated costs of $100 million

or more to the private sector or to State,

local, or tribal governments in the

aggregate.

Through submission of this state

implementation plan or plan revision,

the State and any affected local or tribal

governments have elected to adopt the

program provided for under Part D of

the Clean Air Act. These rules may bind

State, local, and tribal governments to

perform certain actions and also require

the private sector to perform certain

duties. The rules being approved by this

action will impose no new requirements

because affected sources are already

subject to these regulations under State

law. Therefore, no additional costs to

State, local, or tribal governments or to

the private sector result from this action.

EPA has also determined that this final

action does not include a mandate that

may result in estimated costs of $100

million or more to State, local, or tribal

governments in the aggregate or to the

private sector.

This action has been classified as a

Table 3 action for signature by the

Regional Administrator under the

procedures published in the Federal

Register on January 19, 1989 (54 FR

2214–2225), as revised by a July 10,

1995 memorandum from Mary Nichols,

Assistant Administrator for Air and

Radiation. The Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) has exempted this

regulatory action from Executive Order

12866 review.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

Environmental protection, Air

pollution control, Hydrocarbons,

Incorporation by reference,

Intergovernmental relations, Ozone,

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Volatile organic

compounds.

Note: Incorporation by reference of the

State Implementation Plan for the State of

California was approved by the Director of

the Federal Register on July 1, 1982.

Dated: March 24, 1996.

Felicia Marcus,

Regional Administrator.

Subpart F of part 52, chapter I, title 40

of the Code of Federal Regulations is

amended as follows:

PART 52—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 52

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401–7671q.

Subpart F—California

2. Section 52.220 is amended by

adding paragraphs (c)(194)(i)(C)(2) and

(197)(i)(C) to read as follows:

§ 52.220 Identification of plan.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

(194) * * *

(i) * * *

(C) * * *

(2) Rule 4621, adopted on May 20,

1993.

* * * * *

(197) * * *

(i) * * *

(C) San Joaquin Valley Unified Air

Pollution Control District.
19558 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 86 / Thursday, May 2, 1996 / Rules and Regulations

(1) Rule 4622, adopted on February

17, 1994.

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 96–10565 Filed 5–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–W

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 92–195; RM–7091, RM–

7146, RM–8123, RM–8124]

Radio Broadcasting Services; Beverly

Hills, Chiefland, Holiday, Micanopy,

Sarasota, FL

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This document dismisses an

Application for Review filed by

Dickerson Broadcasting, Inc. directed to

an earlier action denying its Petition for

Reconsideration. See 58 FR 17349 (April

2,1993). Dickerson contended that the

Class 3C FM channel at Beverly Hills

was allotted without adequate notice.

With this action, the proceeding is

terminated.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 2, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Hayne, Mass Media Bureau,

(202) 776–1654.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Commission’s

Memorandum Opinion and Order, MM

Docket No. 92–195, adopted March 21,

1996, and released April 16, 1996. The

full text of this decision is available for

inspection and copying during normal

business hours in the FCC Dockets

Branch (Room 230), 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,

(202) 857–3800, 2100 M Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20037.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

Radio broadcasting.

Federal Communications Commission.

Douglas W. Webbink,

Chief, Policy and Rules Division, Mass Media

Bureau.

[FR Doc. 96–9796 Filed 5–01–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–F

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 95–77; RM–8616]

Television Broadcasting Services;

Virginia Beach, VA

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Commission, at the

request of Lockwood Broadcasting, Inc.,

allots UHF Channel 21 to Virginia

Beach, Virginia, as an additional

television service. See 60 FR 31278,

June 14, 1995. Channel 21+ can be

allotted to Virginia Beach consistent

with the minimum distance separation

requirements of Sections 73.610 and

73.698 of the Commission’s Rules with

a site restriction of 4.0 kilometers (2.5

miles) south to avoid the ATV freeze

zone surrounding Washington, DC. The

coordinates for Channel 21+ at Virginia

Beach are 36–48–38 and 75–58–30.

With this action, this proceeding is

terminated.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 10, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam

Blumenthal, Mass Media Bureau, (202)

418–2180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

synopsis of the Commission’s Report

and Order, MM Docket No. 95–77,

adopted March 25, 1996, and released

April 24, 1996. 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,

ITS, Inc., (202) 857–3800, 2100 M

Street, NW., Suite 140, Washington, DC

20037.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

Television broadcasting.

Part 73 of title 47 of the Code of

Federal Regulations is amended as

follows:

PART 73—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 73

continues to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 303, 48 Stat., as amended,

1082; 47 U.S.C. 154, as amended.

§ 73.606 [Amended]

2. Section 73.606(b), the Table of TV

Allotments under Virginia, is amended

by adding Channel 21+ at Virginia

Beach.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules

Division, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 96–10853 Filed 5–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–F

47 CFR Part 80

[FCC 96–156]

Conforming the Maritime Service Rules

to the Provisions of the

Telecommunications Act of 1996

AGENCY: Federal Communications

Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This action amends the

maritime service rules, consistent with

the statutory mandate of the 1996

Telecommunications Act, to eliminate

the radiotelegraph carriage requirement

for vessels equipped in accordance with

the Global Maritime Distress and Safety

System (GMDSS). The effect of this rule

is to reduce economic burdens for vessel

operators and increase safety at sea by

promoting the carriage of GMDSS radio

installations.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 3, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Roger Noel of the Commission’s

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at

(202) 418–0680 or via email at

rnoel@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a

summary of the Commission’s Order,

FCC 96–156, adopted April 5, 1996, and

released April 12, 1996. The full text of

this Order 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 may

be purchased from the Commission’s

copy contractor, ITS, Inc., 2100 M Street

NW., Suite 140, Washington, DC 20037,

telephone (202) 857–3800.

Summary of Order

1. Prior to the enactment of the

Telecommunications Act of 1996,

Section 351 of the Communications Act

required passenger vessels and large

cargo vessels to be equipped with a

manual Morse code radiotelegraph

installation when navigating in the open

sea or on international voyages. In 1988,

the international maritime community

agreed to replace the radiotelegraph as

the required installation with the

GMDSS—an automated ship-shore

distress and safety radio

communications system that relies on

satellites and advanced terrestrial

systems. Accordingly, in the Report and