Cantwell, Feinstein Lead Letter Urging FCC to Revise WEA Changes to Prevent Impairing ShakeAlerts
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., led a Tuesday letter with 18 other members of Congress from California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington urging FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to ensure…
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proposed changes to the wireless emergency alert system don't “impair its ability to provide rapid earthquake early warning alerts.” Other signers include House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Patty Murray of Washington, Senate Commerce Committee member Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and House Communications Subcommittee member Jerry McNerney, D-Calif. Recent changes to the WEA system “to better geo-fence wildfire and other emergency alerts could unintentionally delay notifications and severely weaken the effectiveness of the ShakeAlert system,” the lawmakers wrote Pai. They cited a June 21 letter from U.S. Geological Survey Director Jim Reilly urging the FCC to consider changes to the WEA rules to make wireless earthquake alerts more effective. “Act on this request from USGS for clarification, waiver and rule changes as soon as possible,” the lawmakers suggested. Recent significant earthquakes in areas around Seattle and southern California mean “the effectiveness of earthquake early alerts to our constituents is more critical than ever.” Wednesday, the FCC didn't comment.