On February 8, 2018 the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) filed a Motion for Extension of Time in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Hurricane Response proceeding.
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued a Public Notice on December 7, 2017 seeking comment “on the resiliency of the communications infrastructure, the effectiveness of emergency communications, and government and industry responses to the 2017 hurricane season.”
NHMC requested an eight-week extension of time or more to file reply comments, as it is particularly concerned with the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria impacting both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NHMC noted that “robust and resilient communications networks are vital to our nation’s well being and are especially critical to public safety and emergency services during and following natural disasters.” Therefore, due to the devastating impact of the 2017 hurricane season on the communications infrastructure on the islands, it would be prudent for the Commission to extend the time for reply comments. This would allow communications users who still remain in the dark time to comment, as well as allow additional time for the Commission and interested parties an opportunity to find alternative means to collect the requested information.
Reply Comments for the Hurricane Response proceeding are currently due on February 21, 2018.
