$//CNMI Petition for Rulemaking//$
$/Sect. 1.401 et. seq.; DA 95-1361/$
"Record Only"
               PETITION FOR RULEMAKING TO IMPLEMENT DOMESTIC
               RATE INTEGRATION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE
                         NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
                                 AAD 95-86

                               PUBLIC NOTICE

                                   DA 95-1361
                                   Released Date: June 16, 1995

     Comment Date:  August 15, 1995
       Reply Date:  August 31, 1995

     On June 7, 1995 the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands ("CNMI") filed a petition requesting that the Federal
Communications Commission institute a rulemaking proceeding to
begin the process of incorporating the CNMI in the United States
domestic rate integration plan.
     
     CNMI states that, as was the case with Alaska, Hawaii, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the time
has now come to extend the benefits of rate integration to the
CNMI.  CNMI further states that, as a U.S. Commonwealth, no
rational basis exists for continuing to apply inflated rates based
on international ratemaking principles to U.S. citizens who reside
in the CNMI.

     CNMI states that rate integration for CNMI is justified:  (i)
because CNMI is a U.S. domestic point subject to the Communications
Act of 1934; (ii) rate integration for CNMI is economically
justified because a combination of satellite and microwave
facilities link CNMI with Guam as well as the domestic U.S.; (iii)
rate integration for CNMI is in the public interest; (iv) the
Commission's existing policy of allowing non-integrated rates to be
applied to CNMI appears to be unlawfully discriminatory under the
Communications Act.

     Interested parties may file comments on this petition on or
before August 15, 1995, and reply comments on or before August 31,
1995, with the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919
M Street, N.W., Room 222, Washington, D.C. 20554.  Comments and
reply comments should also reference AAD 95-86.  Four (4) copies of
each comment and reply comment should also be sent to Kent Nilsson,
Cost Analysis Branch, Accounting and Audits Division, Common
Carrier Bureau, Room 812, 2000 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20554, and one (1) copy should be sent to the Commission's
contractor for public service record duplication:  International
Transcription Service (ITS), 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140,
Washington, D.C. 20037.  Copies of the petition may be obtained
from the Accounting and Audits Division's public reference room,
Room 812, 2000 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.  Copies are also
available from ITS at (202) 857-3800.


We will treat this proceeding as non-restricted for the purposes of
the Commission's ex parte rules.  See generally, 47 C.F.R. 
1.1200-1.1216.  For further information contact Kent Nilsson at
(202) 418-0830.

                    -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION-