********************* ********************* ************** NOTICE ********************* ********************* ************** This document was converted from WordPerfect to ASCII Text format. Content from the original version of the document such as headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, graphics, and page numbers will not show up in this text version. All text attributes such as bold, italic, underlining, etc. from the original document will not show up in this text version. Features of the original document layout such as columns, tables, line and letter spacing, pagination, and margins will not be preserved in the text version. If you need the complete document, download the WordPerfect version or Adobe Acrobat version, if available. ********************* ********************* ********************* ** PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 DA 99-259 News media information 202/418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov GILA RIVER TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND TOHONO O'ODHAM UTILITY AUTHORITY PETITIONS FOR WAIVER OF SECTION 54.403(A) OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED CC Docket No. 96-45 Release Date: February 11, 1999 Comment Date: March 4, 1999 Reply Comment Date: March 18, 1999 On January 22, 1999 and January 26, 1999, Gila River Telecommunications, Inc. (Gila River) and Tohono O'odham Utility Authority (Tohono O'odham), respectively, filed separate petitions requesting waiver of section 54.403(a) of the Commission's rules to eliminate the prerequisite of state commission action, enabling Gila River and Tohono O'odham to receive an additional $3.50 in federal Lifeline support per Lifeline subscriber. Gila River and Tohono O'odham state that grant of this waiver will promote the policies underlying the Commission's Lifeline rules, and accordingly, serve the public interest. Section 54.403(a) of the Commission's rules requires state commission action and state matching support before additional federal Lifeline support of $3.50 per Lifeline subscriber is made available to Eligible Telecommunications Carriers. Gila River and Tohono O'odham, however, are subject only to regulation by its tribal authority, which is not a "state commission." Application of section 54.403(a) therefore precludes Gila River and Tohono O'odham from eligibility for additional federal support. Gila River and Tohono O'odham state that this is contrary to the underlying purposes of the Lifeline support program. Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on before March 4, 1999, and reply comments on or before March 18, 1999. Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24,121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to . Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, however, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comments to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, "get form