Critical Infrastructure Industries (CII) Applaud Release Of FCC's National Broadband Plan

Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) - 03.18.2010

Several associations representing U.S. critical infrastructure industries this week applauded the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) efforts to craft a National Broadband Plan.

The associations -- representing the nation’s electric, gas and water utilities and pipeline companies – voiced their support for the idea that every American needs access to affordable broadband services and that universal broadband can help the nation foster energy independence and efficiency.

“As the FCC is aware, the nation depends on safe, reliable and secure communications, particularly the communications systems that support daily operations of the nation’s critical infrastructure,” said Mike Oldak, vice president and general counsel of the Utilities Telecom Council and chairman of the Critical Infrastructure Communications Coalition. “The National Broadband Plan offers specific recommendations to accomplish these goals, and our industries look forward to working with the FCC on that effort.”

Oldak commended the Commission’s consideration in the plan of issues that are of paramount importance to the nation’s critical infrastructure, adding that for the plan “to achieve its worthy goals, it must be implemented thoughtfully, with due consideration of costs ultimately paid by consumers and the need to maintain reliable, secure and safe delivery of essential services.”

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Those broadband issues include:

Critical Infrastructure Industries’ Spectrum Requirements – The Plan recognizes critical infrastructure industries’ spectrum needs particularly as they deploy Smart Grid technologies to enhance the nation’s efficient use of energy. “We look forward to providing input as the Commission investigates how commercial wireless networks may be hardened to meet our industries’ stringent requirements so that these networks can become a viable option,” Oldak said. “We also look forward to working with the Department of Energy and the Commission to further investigate the communication requirements for Smart Grid.”
Access to and Use by Emergency Responders – Because critical infrastructure industries are among the first responders when natural disasters and other emergencies strike, reliable communications are essential to ensure the safety of those responders and other work crews in the field as well as to restore utility services to the public as quickly and safely as possible. “We welcome Broadband Plan recommendations that would enable utilities and public safety to work together to improve the reliability and interoperability of communications during emergency response,” Oldak said.

CII and the Critical Infrastructure Communications Coalition

CII supporting this press release include all of the major organizations representing the nation’s electric, gas and water utilities and pipeline companies. They are part of The Critical Infrastructure Communications Coalition (CICC) represents the common interests of the critical infrastructure industries in the communications networks that they use to support the safe, reliable and efficient delivery of essential public services.

CICC members supporting this news release include:

American Gas Association – www.aga.org
American Petroleum Institute – www.api.org
American Public Power Association – www.appanet.org
Edison Electric Institute – www.eei.org
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association – www.nreca.org
Utilities Telecom Council – www.utc.org