PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 11-529 Release Date: March 21, 2011 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON REQUESTS BY THE CALIFORNIA TELEHEALTH NETWORK AND THE PALMETTO STATE PROVIDERS NETWORK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING UNDER THE RURAL HEALTH CARE PILOT PROGRAM WC Docket No. 02-60 Comment Date: April 20, 2011 Reply Comment Date: May 5, 2011 The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on requests filed by the California Telehealth Network (CTN) and the Palmetto State Providers Network (PSPN) for additional funding under the Rural Health Care Pilot Program (Pilot Program).1 CTN requests that, in the event that Pilot Program funds allotted in the 2007 Pilot Program Selection Order are relinquished or unused by other participants, the Bureau increase CTN’s maximum support amount by an additional $90.9 million.2 If additional funding is authorized, CTN requests an extension of time for the project to secure funding commitments and complete invoicing.3 Similarly, PSPN requests that the Bureau allocate an additional $3.4 million to its project.4 1 Letter from Eric Brown, President & CEO, California Telehealth Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (Mar. 16, 2011) (CTN Letter); Letter from Frank C. Clark, PhD, Project Coordinator, Palmetto State Providers Network, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, WC Docket No. 02-60 (Mar. 16, 2011) (PSPN Letter). In the 2007 Pilot Program Selection Order, the Commission selected 69 projects to participate in the Pilot Program. Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 20360, 20361, para. 1 (2007) (2007 Pilot Program Selection Order). The Commission provided a maximum funding amount of $417 million for all program participants, and also established per-project maximum support amounts. Id. at 20361, 20429-30, para. 2 and Appendix B. 2 CTN Letter at 2. 3 Id. at 1-2. 4 PSPN Letter at 1. 2 Interested parties may file comments on or before April 20, 2011, and reply comments on or before May 5, 2011. All pleadings are to reference WC Docket No. 02-60. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.5 § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington D.C. 20554. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (tty). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the following: (1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, www.bcpiweb.com; phone: (202) 488-5300 fax: (202) 488- 5563; (2) Jamie Susskind, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B418, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Jamie.Susskind@fcc.gov; and (3) Charles Tyler, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-A452, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Charles.Tyler@fcc.gov. Filings and comments are also available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail www.bcpiweb.com. This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.6 Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one or two sentence description of the views and 5 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 6 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 et seq. 3 arguments presented generally is required.7 Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of the Commission’s rules.8 For further information, please contact Jamie Susskind, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484. - FCC - 7 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2). 8 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).