PUBLIC NOTICE
          FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
          1919 M STREET N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554
          News media information 202/418-0500  Recorded listing of releases and texts 202/418-2222.
     ______________________________________________________________________

                                                      DA 97-875
                                                               
                                                               
          SUPPLEMENTAL PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR 
       COMMENTS ON SILVER STAR TELEPHONE COMPANY, INC.'S
     AMENDED PETITION FOR PREEMPTION AND DECLARATORY RULING
                                
                                
                         (CCBPol 97-1) 
                                
                                        Released:  April 24, 1997

     On January 16, 1997, Silver Star Telephone Company, Inc. (Silver Star) filed a petition
for preemption and declaratory ruling (Petition) pursuant to section 253 of the Communications
Act, as amended (Communications Act or Act).  The Petition asks the Commission to preempt
the Order Denying Concurrent Certification (Denial Order) issued by the Wyoming Public
Service Commission (Wyoming PSC) on December 4, 1996.  The Wyoming PSC's Denial Orderdenied Silver Star's application for a concurrent Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
(CPCN) to provide competing local exchange service in the Afton, Wyoming local exchange
area.  Silver Star's Petition asserts, inter alia, that the Wyoming PSC's Denial Order violates
section 253(a) of the Act, falls outside the scope of authority preserved for the Wyoming PSC by
section 253(b) of the Act, and thus satisfies the requirements for preemption by the Commission
pursuant to section 253(d) of the Act.

      On January 21, 1997, the Commission placed Silver Star's Petition on public notice.  The
Public Notice requested comments by February 20, 1997 and reply comments by March 7, 1997.

     On April 22, 1997, Silver Star filed a pleading amending its Petition (Amended Petition). 
The Amended Petition seeks preemption, pursuant to section 253 of the Act, of certain
provisions of the Wyoming Telecommunications Act of 1995 (i.e., Wyo. Stat. Ann.  37-15-
201(c)-(f)), as well as preemption of the Denial Order. 

     Interested parties should file comments on Silver Star's Amended Petition by May 8,
1997 and reply comments by May 15, 1997 with the Secretary, FCC, 1919 M Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20554.  In addition, two copies should be sent to Janice Myles, Common
Carrier Bureau, FCC, Room 544, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554, and one copy
should be sent to the Commission's contractor for public service records duplication, ITS, Inc.,
2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20037.  Parties filing comments in this non-
docketed proceeding should include the Policy Division internal reference number, CCBPol 97-
1, on their pleadings.  Silver Star's Amended Petition is available for inspection and copying in
the Common Carrier Bureau's Public Reference Room, Room 575, 2000 M Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20554.  Copies can also be obtained from ITS by calling (202) 857-3800.

     We previously have classified this proceeding as non-restricted for purposes of the
Commission's ex parte rules, and that classification remains.  See generally 47 C.F.R.  1.1200-
1.1216.  For further information contact Alex Starr, Policy and Program Planning Division,
Common Carrier Bureau, at (202) 418-7284.

                             - FCC -