Washington ? Residents of Western states can start requesting free credit reports this December, the Federal Trade Commission said Friday in announcing rules for a program approved by Congress.

The program will be phased in across the rest of the country during the first nine months of next year.

The FTC said staggering the request period should help the nation’s three major credit bureaus — Equifax Inc., Experian Information Solutions and Trans Union — deal with the expected crush of consumers asking for free credit histories.

Each bureau eventually will set up a Web site, a toll-free phone number and a mailing address for people to request reports.

Under the new rules, residents of Western states will be able to begin requesting free reports on Dec. 1. Midwestern states, which includes Kansas, will become eligible March 1, 2005, followed by Southern states on June 1, 2005, and Eastern states on Sept. 1, 2005.