[Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL "CLARIFICATION" LETTER

[Vern Weiss]

Isn't it interesting how FEMA has become the only entity in this country
worthy of having their interests considered?

This whole thing makes me sick.

They're running over us and lying. Period.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sandy W5TVW" <ebjr at i-55.com>
To: "Bruce Sugarberg" <bsugarberg at core.com>; <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 3:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL
"CLARIFICATION" LETTER


> Sounds like they were "taken to the woodshed" by another "agency" and are
> backing off their stance!  Probably jobs were threatened!  Someone is
> getting "bought" somewhere!
> 73,
> Sandy W5TVW
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bruce Sugarberg" <bsugarberg at core.com>
> To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 1:03 PM
> Subject: [Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL "CLARIFICATION"
LETTER
>
>
> | =>FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL "CLARIFICATION" LETTER
> |
> | After expressing "grave concerns" to the FCC last fall about the
> | interference potential of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems, the
> | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now appears to be backing
away
> | from that strong stance. Now a part of the Department of Homeland
Security,
> | FEMA filed comments December 4 in response to the FCC's April 2003
Notice of
> | Inquiry in ET Docket 03-104. Many have cited those remarks in their own
> | comments opposing BPL deployment. In a January 8 letter that's now part
of
> | the BPL Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in ET Docket 04-37,
Michael D.
> | Brown, the US Department of Homeland Security's under secretary for
> | emergency preparedness and response, told FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell
> | that FEMA wanted to "clarify the record" to ensure that its filing was
not
> | "misunderstood or misconstrued."
> |
> | "We have become aware that certain distinct approaches to BPL may have
the
> | potential to cause interference to FEMA's high frequency radio
> | communications system," Brown said in his January letter. "However, we
> | continue to study the BPL proceeding and have not concluded that there
is a
> | material interference problem or that all of the distinct technological
> | approaches to BPL pose a risk of interference."
> |
> | The FEMA official said his agency expects that there may be ways to
provide
> | BPL's benefits "without compromising the emergency communications
> | capabilities available to FEMA."
> |
> | The January letter stands in stark contrast to FEMA's predictions last
> | December that "the introduction of unwanted interference from the
> | implementation of BPL technology into the high frequency radio spectrum
will
> | result in significant detriment to the operation of FEMA radio systems."
> | Saying such interference could "directly impair the safety of life and
> | property," the agency also had recommended the FCC beef up its Part 15
rules
> | to ensure no increase in interference levels to existing FCC or
> | NTIA-licensed communication systems.
> |
> | "The purported benefits of BPL in terms of expanded services in certain
> | communications sectors do not appear to outweigh the benefit to the
overall
> | public of HF radio capability as presently used by government,
broadcasting
> | and public safety users," FEMA asserted last December in comments filed
on
> | the agency's behalf by Chief Information Officer Barry C. West.
> |
> | BPL also could render such "essential communications services" as the
Radio
> | Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the Military Affiliate Radio
System
> | (MARS) and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) useless, FEMA said. FEMA and ARRL
are
> | signatories to a Memorandum of Understanding that focuses on how Amateur
> | Radio personnel may coordinate with the agency to support emergency
> | communications functions. FEMA's December comments also referenced
ARRL's
> | "Interference to PLC systems from Amateur Radio Operation."
> |
> | Brown's January letter conveys a much milder, conciliatory tone. "We
know
> | that the FCC shares our appreciation for the importance of reliable
> | communications in the context of disaster recovery and are confident
that
> | the Office of Engineering and Technology's technical assessment, as well
as
> | the Commission's regulations implementing BPL, will be sensitive to this
> | issue," he concluded. "FEMA stands ready to assist in any way the
Commission
> | might find helpful."
> |
> |
> | _______________________________________________
> | List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> | dfischer at usol.com
> | ----
> | Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> | ----
> | http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
> |
> |
> _______________________________________________
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> dfischer at usol.com
> ----
> Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> ----
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
>


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