From now until August 18th, the FCC is accepting comments on a Petition for Rulemaking, filed by Matthew K. Wesolowski of SSR Communications, to modify the laws to create a new class of FM station – Class C4 – which, power wise, would be between a Class A and Class C3.  According to the petition, the proposed rule changes would provide hundreds of Class A stations with the opportunity to increase their coverage.  The maximum facilities of a Class C4 station would be 12 KW ERP at 100 meters antenna height AAT.  The petition as written addresses stations in FM Broadcast Zone II, of the United States only (which is most of the area in the US).

The FCC must yet decide, based on the comments filed in this comment period, whether to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which is the first real step towards changing the FCC rules regulating broadcast stations.  If you would like to file a comment on the proposed rule making, either for or against, you can do so electronically here.  The FCC rule making number is RM-11727.

UPDATE:  The FCC has extended the comment deadline to September 18, 2014.  The new reply comment deadline is October 3, 2014.