FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2000-174 One-Day Shutdown of the EDGAR Filing System Washington, D.C., November 17, 2000 - In order to remind the public of the one-day shutdown of EDGAR operations on November 24, 2000, the day following the Thanksgiving Day holiday, the Commission is again publishing the following information. WHAT AND WHEN? We will shut down our EDGAR system for one day on Friday, November 24, 2000. We will not receive or disseminate electronic filings that day. We will reopen the EDGAR system for business as usual at 8:00 am on Monday, November 27, 2000. WHY? We are shutting EDGAR down for one day to allow us sufficient time to make a major upgrade to the internal portion of the EDGAR system, completing EDGAR's transition to the Internet. HOW WILL THIS AFFECT US? Since the day after Thanksgiving historically has had the fewest filings of any day in the year, we anticipate that this one-day shutdown will have a minimum impact on the filing community and disseminators. Other than the temporary shutdown, the internal upgrade will not affect filers and disseminators. WHAT IF MY EDGAR FILING IS DUE ON NOVEMBER 24, 2000? ú The EDGAR system will neither accept nor disseminate filings on November 24, 2000. ú Filings submitted and accepted after 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, 2000, will receive a filing date of Friday, November 24, 2000 (unless they are one of the special submission types that receive the same day's filing date). ú We encourage filers with filings that would be due on Friday, November 24, 2000, to submit these filings on Wednesday, November 22, 2000. ú We will deem filings with due dates of November 24, 2000, to be timely filed if filers submit them and EDGAR accepts them on or before 5:30 p.m. EST on Monday, November 27, 2000. ú We also encourage filers who might otherwise make time- sensitive filings on Friday, November 24, 2000, to submit those filings on Wednesday, November 22, 2000, if possible. The staff, however, in appropriate circumstances and upon written request, will change filing dates to November 24, 2000 for filings made on or before 5:30 p.m. EST on Monday, November 27, 2000. WHAT IF I HAVE A PAPER FILING DUE NOVEMBER 24, 2000? ú The filing desk will remain open on Friday, November 24, 2000, to accept filings that are permitted to be made in paper. This includes filings made under EDGAR hardship exemptions. ú Our filing desk will NOT accept filings in paper that we require filers to submit electronically. CAN I USE THE EDGAR FILING WEBSITE? We will keep our EDGAR filing website (https://www.edgarfiling.sec.gov) open on Friday, November 24, 2000, for limited use. You will not be able to use the site to make filings or to change your company information that day, but you may use it for other purposes, such as to construct filings and to check the status of previously submitted filings. WHAT ABOUT THE PUBLIC REFERENCE ROOM AND EDGAR DATABASE ON THE SEC'S WEBSITE? ú We will keep our Public Reference Room OPEN during normal business hours on Friday, November 24, 2000. ú You will be able to use the database of EDGAR filings on our website at http://www.sec.gov on November 24, 2000. But we will NOT update our database that day. On Monday, November 27, 2000, we will update our website database to post EDGAR filings made on Wednesday, November 22, 2000. WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS? If you have any questions about this one-day EDGAR shutdown, please contact Filer Support at 202-942-8900. If you need to make a time-sensitive filing on Friday, November 24, 2000, please call the appropriate number listed below: For filings reviewed by the Division of Corporation Finance: For investment company filings: For public utility company filings: 202-942-2940 202-942-0978 202-942-0558 # # #