Critical Industries Address Dangerous Radio Interference.WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 1998--The nation's utilities, pipelines and railroads filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission Federal Communications Commission (FCC), independent executive agency of the U.S. government established in 1934 to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest. (FCC (1) (Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC, www.fcc.gov) The U.S. government agency that regulates interstate and international communications including wire, cable, radio, TV and satellite. The FCC was created under the U.S. ) on Friday, Aug. 14, 1998, to protect essential mobile radio communications from interference. The industries emphasized the need for reliable radio communications for emergency alert and response and to ensure the uninterrupted flow of energy and transportation services. The petition requests the FCC establish a Public Service Pool of radio frequencies exclusively for critical infrastructure industries. "This is a life and death issue," said William R. Moroney, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time, Temps Universel Coordonné) The international time standard (formerly Greenwich Mean Time, or GMT). Zero hours UTC is midnight in Greenwich, England, which is located at 0 degrees longitude. The Telecommunications Association. "If an emergency communication can't get through because of interference from a limousine dispatcher, lives and property are at risk." Prior to 1997, certain businesses, including critical infrastructure industries, had designated frequencies for their private land mobile radio (PLMR PLMR private land mobile radio PLMR Public Land Mobile Radio PLMR Polarimetric L-band Multibeam Radiometer PLMR Probabilistic-Logical Models Repository PLMR Protected Living Marine Resources PLMR pulse light-source and modulated receiver ) systems. In 1997, the FCC revised its rules, opening these frequencies to use by all business and industrial users. The proposal, in the petition submitted last Friday by the Critical Infrastructure Industries, an alliance of UTC, The Telecommunications Association, American Petroleum Institute The American Petroleum Institute, commonly referred to as API, is the main U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry, representing about 400 corporations involved in production, refinement, distribution, and many other aspects of the industry. and the Association of American Railroads, cites the growing number of dangerous situations caused by sharing frequencies. A natural gas utility headquartered in New Jersey was unable to use its radio system 16 times in two months as a result of interference. The utility was unable to communicate with emergency restoration crews and personnel responsible for shutting down gas service in the event of fire or other critical incidents. Congress recognized the safety-sensitive nature of utility, petroleum and railroad industries and defined them as "public safety radio services" in the spectrum provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection Department of Defense (DOD) program to identify and protect assets critical to the Defense Transportation System. Loss of a critical asset would result in failure to support the mission of a combatant commander. has also acknowledged the unique public safety aspect of these industries. Noting the potential for disaster, Critical Infrastructure Industries urged the FCC to take quick action on its petition. Copies of the Petition for Rulemaking filed by UTC, API and AAR may be downloaded from UTC's web page at www.utc.org.
CONTACT: UTC
Tom Goode, 202/872-0030
tgoode@utc.org
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