Attachment EchoStar - req for c

EchoStar - req for c

REQUEST submitted by EchoStar

Request

2011-07-06

This document pretains to SAT-STA-20110627-00122 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATSTA2011062700122_906856

                                            STEPTOE &JOHNSONw
                                                     A TT ORNEYS          AT   LAW




     Pantelis Michalopoulos                                                                              1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW
     202429.6494                                                                                          Washington, DC 20036—1795
     pmichalo@steptoe.com                                                                                            Tel 202.429.3000
                                                          SR\GI N x L—                                                    Fax 2024293902
                                                                                                                              steptoe.com




                                    FILED UNDER SEAL OF CONFIDENTIALITY

     July 6, 2011                                             x c
                                     | FOR INTERNAL           US
     Fig Hand Defivery               |                                             FILED/ACCEPTED
                                     &

                                     E          NON—PUBLIC                             ant ~ 6 2011
     Marlene H. Dortch
     Secretary                                                                                hax             o
     Federal C        (eat?  C     200.                                        Federal Communications Commission
      ederal   Communications Commussion                                               Office of the Secretary
     445 12th Street, S.W.
     Washington, D.C. 20554

                                   REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT

     Re:     EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation, File No. SAT—LOA—19880128—00046, SAT—STA—
             20110627—00122, Call Sign $2621

     Dear Ms. Dortch:

              EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation ("EchoStar") is submitting the attached amendment‘ to
     its existing application for Special Temporary Authority ("STA") to deorbit the EchoStar 4 satellite from
     its current orbital location at 76.85° W.L.. along with attachments providing information regarding the
     planned deorbiting of the satellite. EchoStar received from Lockheed Martin ("Lockheed") information
     regarding the technical specifications for the deorbiting of EchoStar 4. EchoStar respectfully requests
     that the attached information be treated as confidential in its entirety and not routinely available for
     public inspection pursuant to 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.457 and 0.459. Redacted versions of these attachments are
     being filed separately.




             ! See File No. SAT—AMD—201107_—                         (filed July 6, 2011).
             2 See File No. SAT—STA—20110627—00122 (filed June 27, 2011).

                                                                   g:‘:oa INTERNAL USE ONLY |
                                                                                                         |
                                                                                                         $

                                                                   E_____NoN—PuBLic                      |
WASHINGTON   e   NEW YORK     e   CHICAGO   e   PHOENIX   e   LOS ANGELES      e   CENTURY CITY      e       LONDON   e    BRUSSELS   +     BEIJING


                                                                                 STEPTOE &JOHNSONw
Marlene H. Dortch
July 6, 2011
Page 2

        The information contained in the attachments is highly sensitive and confidential information
concerning the deorbiting procedures for EchoStar 4. While EchoStar periodically discloses general
information about the health of its existing satellites in its annual reports, it does not disclose publicly
the detailed technical information found in the attachments. The information is also highly sensitive and
proprietary information owned by Lockheed that must be protected from Lockheed‘s competitors as
well.

         The information in the attached, therefore, qualifies as commercial and technical information
"that would customarily be guarded from competitors"" regardless of whether or not such materials are
protected from disclosure by a privilege. In addition, such information, if disclosed, could result in
"substantial competitive harm" to EchoStar and Lockheed by giving their competitors precise
knowledge about the deorbiting of the EchoStar 4 satellite. Therefore, this information warrants
protection under 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.457 and 0.459. This request is similar to requests made by many
satellite operators and manufacturers in the past.

         Finally, denying EchoStar‘s request that this information be kept confidential would impair the
Commission‘s ability to obtain this type of voluntarily disclosed information in the future. The ability
of a government agency to continually obtain confidential information was behind the legislative
purpose in developing exemptions from the Freedom of Information Act." The U.S. Court of Appeals
for the D.C. Circuit has recognized a "private interest in preserving the confidentiality of information
that is provided the Government on a voluntary basis."" The Commission should extend such
recognition to the enclosed materials.

        EchoStar thus requests that the attachments be withheld from disclosure for an indefinite period
of time. EchoStar further requests that the Commission not release the information contained in the
attachments if its request for confidentiality is denied in whole or in part without first consulting with
EchoStar. EchoStar requests that if its request for confidentiality is denied in whole or in part, the
Commission return the attachments to EchoStar.

       Please contact the undersigned if you have any questions regarding this filing.

        > See 47 C.F.R. § 0.457(d); see also Critical Mass Energy Project v. NRC, 975 F.2d 871, 879
(D.C. Cir. 1992) ("[WlJe conclude that financial or commercial information provided to the Government
on a voluntary basis is ‘confidential‘ for purpose of Exemption 4 if it is of a kind that would customarily
not be released to the public by the person from whom it was obtained.").

        * See Critical Mass Energy Project, 975 F.2d at 878 ("Where, however, the information is
provided to the Government voluntarily, the presumption is that [the Government‘s] interest will be
threatened by disclosure as the persons whose confidences have been betrayed will, in all likelihood,
refuse further cooperation.").
       ° Id. at 879.


                                                                        STEPTOE &JOHNSON uw
Marlene H. Dortch
July 6, 2011
Page 3



                                              Respectfully submitted,


                                              htA
                                              Pantelis Michalopoulos
                                              Christopher Bjornson
                                              Counselfor EchoStar Satellite Operating
                                              Corporation

Attachments

ce:   Karl Kensinger — International Bureau


                                            STEPTOE &JOHNSON uw
                                                     A TT ORNEYS      AT    LAW




     Pantelis Michalopoulos                                                                        1330 Connecticut Avenue, NWY
     202.429.6494                                                                                   Washington, DC 20036—1795
     pmichalo@steptoe.com                                                                                     Tel 2024293000
                                                                                                                 Fax 202.429.3902
                                                                                                                     steptoe.com




     July 6, 2011

     Via IBFS

     Marlene H. Dortch
     Secretary
     Federal Communications Commission
     445 12th Street, S.W.
     Washington, D.C. 20554

     Re:     EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation, File Nos. SAT—STA—20110627—00122, SAT—
             AMD—20110706—         , Call Sign $2621

     Dear Ms. Dortch:

              EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation hereby submits for the public file a redacted version of
     the amendment‘ to its existing application for Special Temporary Authority to deorbit the EchoStar 4
     satellite from its current orbital location at 76.85° W.L.,* along with redacted attachments providing
     information regarding the planned deorbiting. Unredacted versions are being submitted separately with
     a request for confidential treatment pursuant to 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.457 and 0.459.

                                                                  Respectfully submitted,


                                                                           Is/
                                                                  Pantelis Michalopoulos
                                                                  Christopher Bjornson
                                                                  Counselfor EchoStar Satellite Operating
                                                                  Corporation


             ‘ See File No. SAT—AMD—20110706—                    (filed July 6, 2011).

             * See File No. SAT—STA—20110627—00122 (filed June 27, 2011).




WASHINGTON   e   NEW YORK     e   CHICAGO   e   PHOENIX   e   LOS ANGELES   e   CENTURY CITY   e   LONDON    e    BRUSSELS    +     BEIJING


                                                         STEPTOE &JOHNSONw

Marlene H. Dortch
July 3, 2007
Page 2


ce: Karl Kensinger — International Bureau (via e—mail)



Document Created: 2011-07-20 12:42:19
Document Modified: 2011-07-20 12:42:19

© 2024 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC