Report No. DC 95-91 ACTION IN DOCKET CASE June 22, 1995 COMMISSION ADDRESSES ISSUES RAISED ON RECONSIDERATION OF THE FY 1994 REPORT AND ORDER (MD DOCKET NO. 94-19) The Commission, on reconsideration, has modified and clarified some of the bases upon which it will grant exemptions, waivers and reductions of regulatory fees. The Commission has also modified language to eliminate inequitable double charges for operator/users of international cable systems. Among the issues raised on reconsideration was whether the Commission provided adequate notice of the rulemaking to small businesses. Fireweed Communications Corp. contended that the FCC failed to provide adequate notice of the proposed fees rules to small businesses. The Commission stated that such arguments were fully considered in the FY 1994 Report and Order, and to the extent that Fireweed asserted that the Commission erred in the Order, its arguments are without merit. The Commission also rejected the contention that its rules are biased against small entities. The Commission stated that in implementing the fee schedule, procedures were adopted for payment of fees that are designed to minimize the burden on small entities, in accordance with Congressional intent. Congress provided that the Commission may grant waivers of the fees. It is the Commission's policy to grant individual waivers where imposition of the regulatory fee would be inequitable or would impinge on a regulatee's ability to serve the public. To the extent that Fireweed objected to specific fees, the Commission pointed out that the fees for FY 1994 were adopted by Congress and the Commission adhered accordingly. The Commission clarified the bases under which it will waive or reduce annual regulatory fees. The Commission clarified the standards for establishing a basis for waiver on grounds of financial hardship; for waivers or reductions in the fee for television satellite stations and translator stations for FY 1994; and for waiver or reduction of the fees paid by full service television stations located in major markets that are not network affiliates and do not serve the markets' principal metropolitan areas; and, it broadened the basis for -more- -2- exemptions for nonprofit entities to include regulatees that are not certified as nonprofit under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, but do hold certifications of nonprofit status by a state or other governmental authority. Finally, the Commission will not provide blanket confidential protection from disclosure to data required for regulatory fee computations. The Commission stated that there has been no convincing showing of a need for amending the rules to provide blanket confidentiality protection of information submitted concerning regulatory fees, and the regulatees can request confidential protection if they perceive a need to protect data from routine disclosure. Action by the Commission June 15, 1995, by Memorandum Opinion and Order (FCC 95-257). Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Barrett, Ness, and Chong. -FCC- News Media contact: Patricia A. Chew at (202) 418-0500. Office of General Counsel contacts: Jerome D. Remson at (202) 418-1755 and James B. Mullins at (202) 418-1720.