*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 7428.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 12th STREET, S. W. WASHINGTON, D. C. 20554 DA 01- 618 News media information 202/ 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202/ 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov BLACKDUCK TELEPHONE COMPANY AND ARVIG TELEPHONE COMPANY SEEK A WAIVER OF SECTION 54.305 AND THE DEFINITION OF "STUDY AREA" IN PART 36 OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED CC Docket No. 96- 45 Release Date: March 8, 2001 Comment Date: March 28, 2001 Reply Comment Date: April 9, 2001 On February 6, 2001, Blackduck Telephone Company (Blackduck) and Arvig Telephone Company (Arvig) filed a joint petition for waiver of the definition of "study area" as set forth in Part 36 of the Commission's rules. That definition constitutes a rule freezing all study area boundaries. Blackduck is acquiring from Arvig one telephone exchange serving approximately 116 access lines in Minnesota (the Ash River exchange). By this waiver, Arvig seeks to alter its Minnesota study area in order to remove the Ash River telephone exchange being transferred to Blackduck. Blackduck seeks a waiver of the study area freeze to combine the acquired exchange with its existing Minnesota study area. The petitioners submitted an order from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission indicating that it has no objection to the issuance of a study area waiver associated with Blackduck’ acquisition of the Ash River telephone exchange. In addition, the petitioners seek waiver of section 54.305 of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. § 54.305. Section 54.305 provides that a carrier acquiring exchanges from an unaffiliat ed carrier shall receive the same per- line levels of high- cost universal service support for which the acquired exchanges were eligible prior to their transfer. 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 or before March 28, 2001, and reply comments on or before April 9, 2001. 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 1 2 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 electronic comments by Internet e- mail. To receive 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