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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov 
 ftp.  fcc.  gov 
 DA  01-  925 
 Released:  April  13,  2001 
 WIRELESS  TELECOMMUNICATIONS  BUREAU  ANNOUNCES  THE  SELECTION 
 OF  TWO  VHF  CHANNEL  PAIRS  FOR  THE  UNITED  STATES  COAST  GUARD’S 
 PORTS  AND  WATERWAYS  SAFETY  SYSTEM 


 By  letter  dated  March  15,  2001,  the  United  States  Coast  Guard  (Coast  Guard)  and  Maritel,  Inc. 
 (Maritel),  the  geographic  licensee  for  VHF  Public  Coast  Station  Areas  (VPCSAs)  1-  9,  1  notified  the 
 Wireless  Telecommunications  Bureau  that  they  had  reached  an  agreement  regarding  the  selection  of 
 channel  pairs  for  use  in  Automatic  Identification  Systems  (AIS)  and  related  safety  systems  in  support  of  the 
 Coast  Guard’s  Ports  and  Waterways  Safety  System  (PAWSS).  2  Section  80.371(  c)(  3)  of  the  Commission’s 
 Rules  requires  the  Coast  Guard  and  each  licensee  of  VPCSAs  1-  9  to  negotiate  to  select  two  narrowband 
 12.5  kHz  offset  channel  pairs  for  PAWSS.  3  The  Commission  chose  a  method  of  negotiation  for 
 determining  the  offset  channel  pairs,  rather  than  preselection  of  the  channel  pairs  during  the  rulemaking 
 proceeding,  in  an  effort  to  provide  both  the  Coast  Guard  and  the  VPCSA  licensee  with  more  flexibility.  4 
 During  their  negotiations,  the  Coast  Guard  and  Maritel  selected  non-  offset  Channels  87  A/  B  (157.375 
 MHz/  161.975  MHz),  rather  than  offset  channels,  5  to  be  used  for  PAWSS.  We  find  that  application  of  the 
 offset  channel  pairs  requirement  in  the  instant  case  would  frustrate  the  underlying  purpose  of  Section 
 80.371(  c)(  3),  which  is  to  provide  the  Coast  Guard  with  an  additional  measure  to  ensure  maritime  safety. 
 We  support  this  mutually  agreed-  upon  selection  because  it  accomplishes  the  Commission’s  goal  of 
 providing  PAWSS  with  two  narrowband  channel  pairs.  For  the  foregoing  reasons,  we  waive  Section 
 80.371(  c)(  3)  to  the  extent  necessary  to  allow  the  parties  to  implement  their  agreement.  6 


 1  VPCSAs  1-  9  collectively  encompass  the  Atlantic,  Pacific,  and  Gulf  coasts;  the  Mississippi  River  system;  and 
 Alaska  and  Hawaii.  See  47  C.  F.  R.  §  80.373(  c)(  1)(  ii). 
 2  PAWSS  will  provide  Vessel  Traffic  Services  to  facilitate  the  safe  and  efficient  transit  of  vessel  traffic  to  prevent 


 collisions,  groundings,  and  environmental  damage  associated  with  maritime  accidents.  See  Amendment  of  the 
 Commission’s  Rules  Concerning  Maritime  Communications,  Third  Report  and  Order  and  Memorandum 
 Opinion  and  Order,  PR  Docket  No.  92-  257,  13  FCC  Rcd  19853,  19875  ¶  46  (1998)  (Third  Report  and  Order). 


 3  47  C.  F.  R.  §  80.371(  c)(  3). 


 4  Third  Report  and  Order,  13  FCC  Rcd  at  19876  ¶  49. 
 5  Memorandum  of  Agreement  Between  United  States  Coast  Guard  and  the  Maritime  VHF  Public  Coast  Area 
 Licensee  at  2  (dated  Mar.  7,  2001). 
 6  See  47  C.  F.  R.  §  1.925(  b)(  3). 
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 For  further  information,  please  contact  Keith  Fickner,  Policy  and  Rules  Branch,  Public  Safety  and 
 Private  Wireless  Division,  Wireless  Telecommunications  Bureau  at  (202)  418-  7308,  TTY  (202)  418-  7233. 


 Action  by  the  Chief,  Public  Safety  and  Private  Wireless  Division,  Wireless  Telecommunications 
 Bureau. 
 -  FCC  - 
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