Establishment of an Emergency Response Interoperability Center

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This Order amends Part 0 of the Commission's rules to establish rules governing the Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC). The Commission further delegates authority to the Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to establish advisory bodies and select appropriate representatives from federal agencies, the public safety community, and industry to advise ERIC.

DATES:

Effective Date: June 21, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Manner, Jennifer.manner@fcc.gov; (202) 418-3619.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Commission will not send a copy of this Order pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A), because the adopted rules are rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice that do not substantially affect the rights or obligations of non-agency parties.

On March 16, 2010, the Commission submitted a report to Congress entitled “The National Broadband Plan (Plan).” As part of its national broadband strategy, the Plan recommends the establishment of an Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC) tasked with ensuring that the 700 MHz public safety broadband wireless network will be fully operable and interoperable on a nationwide basis, both day-to-day as well as during times of emergency.

To ensure a baseline of operability and interoperability from the start of the network's development, the Commission has concluded that the public interest will be served by establishing ERIC within the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB). Accordingly, the Commission is assigning to ERIC responsibilities consistent with those currently assigned to PSHSB under § 0.191 of the FCC's rules. More specifically, ERIC will be tasked with implementing national interoperability standards and developing technical and operational procedures for the 700 MHz public safety broadband wireless network. The Commission also anticipates that over time, ERIC may perform similar functions with respect to other public safety communications systems.

The Commission will not send a copy of this Order pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A), because the adopted rules are rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice that do not substantially affect the rights or obligations of non-agency parties.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 0

• Organization and functions (Government agencies)

Final Rules

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 part 0 as follows:

PART 0—COMMISSION ORGANIZATION

1. The authority citation for part 0 continues to read as follows:

Authority: Sec. 5, 48 Stat. 1068, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 155, 225, unless otherwise noted.

2. Section 0.191 is amended by adding paragraph (q) to read as follows:

3. Add § 0.192 to Subpart A to read as follows:

4. Section 0.392 is amended by revising the introductory text to read as follows: