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 Federal  Communications  Commission  FCC  03-  114 
 SEPARATE  STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS 
 Re:  Petition  of  the  Connecticut  Department  of  Public  Utility  Control  for  Delegated  Authority  to  Implement  Specialized  Transitional  Overlays 
 All  of  us  share  the  frustration  consumers  are  experiencing  with  the  proliferation  of  new  telephone  numbers  and  area  codes.  But  number  conservation  is  not  an  issue  that  the 
 federal  government  can—  or  should—  undertake  on  its  own.  We  need  to  work  closely  with  state  public  utility  commissions  on  numbering  issues.  States  have  an  integral  role  to 
 play  in  number  conservation  efforts.  That  is  why  I  am  pleased  that  we  address  the  petition  from  the  Connecticut  Department  of  Public  Utility  Control  today.  At  the  same 
 time,  I  sincerely  hope  that  other  states  that  follow  the  path  Connecticut  blazes  here  receive  a  speedier  and  less  conditional  response  from  the  Commission.  I  also  hope  that 
 the  Commission  redoubles  its  efforts  to  address  expeditiously  other  petitions  concerning  numbering,  including  the  petition  filed  last  year  by  the  California  Public  Utilities 
 Commission  concerning  our  contamination  threshold  requirement. 
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