FCC Creates Hurricane Recovery Task Force

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai today announced the formation of an FCC Hurricane Recovery Task Force.  This internal task force will continue the commission’s work in support of the restoration of communications services in areas affected by this season’s hurricanes, with an emphasis on addressing the challenges facing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“As we shift from short-term incident management to a longer-term recovery phase, it makes sense to adjust the structure of the FCC’s response,” Pai said. “In the weeks and months to come, the commission will be confronting a wide range of storm-related issues that fall within the jurisdiction of numerous bureaus and offices. It is critical that we adopt a coordinated and comprehensive approach to support the rebuilding of communications infrastructure and restoration of communications services. The Hurricane Recovery Task Force will allow us to do just that.”    

The task force will be chaired by Michael Carowitz, special counsel to Pai, and will be composed of representatives from bureaus and offices throughout the agency.

As the work of the task force begins, the FCC will continue response efforts in support of the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency under the National Response Framework. Through this mission, the commission helps coordinate requests for assistance from communications providers, compiles and analyzes data on the operational status of communications services, and deploys personnel at the request of FEMA.