Overview of the Termination Initiative
On February 15, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) released Public Notice DA 12-220 under CG Docket No. 12-39, seeking comment on whether certain open proceedings should be terminated as dormant.
Under authority delegated in the Commission's 2011 Procedure Order (26 FCC Rcd 1594), the Chief of CGB is authorized to periodically review open dockets in consultation with responsible Bureaus and Offices to identify candidates for termination. The initiative is part of an ongoing effort to modernize agency processes, enhance transparency, and increase organizational efficiency.
- Governing Docket: CG Docket No. 12-39
- Document Number: DA 12-220
- Lead Bureau: Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB)
- Previous Action: Termination of 999 dormant proceedings by Order released November 1, 2011 (26 FCC Rcd 15312)
Scope and Criteria for Dormancy
The candidate dockets identified in Attachment A generally encompass proceedings in which no action has been taken or pleading filed since December 31, 2006. One noted exception is WC Docket No. 03-225, where Qwest Communications Company, LLC submitted a name change notification on June 2, 2009.
Candidate proceedings include dockets where no further action is required or contemplated, as well as those inactive for several years. Termination also results in the dismissal as moot of any pending procedural motions or petitions that do not address the merits.
Proceedings involving pending petitions addressing the merits will not be terminated without party consent. However, a party's failure to file comments in response to the Public Notice will be construed as consent to termination.
- General Inactivity Threshold: No action taken or pleading filed since December 31, 2006
- Exception Docket: WC Docket No. 03-225 (name change notification filed June 2, 2009)
- Record Availability: Terminated docket records remain part of official FCC records and accessible to the public
Filing Procedures and Ex Parte Treatment
Interested parties may submit comments and reply comments referencing CG Docket No. 12-39 via the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies with the Office of the Secretary.
The proceeding is designated as a permit-but-disclose proceeding under the Commission's ex parte rules, requiring written presentations and summaries of oral presentations to be submitted within two business days.
- Electronic Filing: Submitted via ECFS referencing CG Docket No. 12-39
- Federal Register Publication: 77 FR 13322 (March 6, 2012)
- Comment Deadline: April 5, 2012
- Reply Comment Deadline: April 20, 2012
- Bureau Point of Contact: Dorothy Stifflemire, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau