CPUC President Fears 'Antagonistic' Comments to FCC on Infrastructure
The California Public Utilities Commission “may be overly antagonistic” in proposed comments to the FCC on the commission’s wireline and wireless infrastructure NPRMs and notices of inquiry, CPUC President Michael Picker protested at the state agency’s Thursday meeting. The draft…
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comments opposed FCC pre-emption and raised concerns about copper retirement and other issues (see 1706120022). Complaining that the draft is “very antagonistic” in tone about the copper issue and raising concerns that some statements could undercut pending CPUC proceedings, Picker abstained from voting. But the other four commissioners voted in favor of the draft comments, with instructions to edit the comments to address Picker's and Commissioner Liane Randolph's concerns in the hours before Thursday’s comments deadline at the FCC. Randolph said she generally supports the comments but wanted to pare the copper verbiage. Picker complained about reading the draft comments for the first time the previous night. CPUC Assistant General Counsel Helen Mickiewicz apologized, saying it was an unusual circumstance that occurred due to the FCC’s speedy pace on the infrastructure rulemakings. Meanwhile, comments are starting to roll in at the FCC in docket 17-79. The FCC should adopt a broadly applicable “deemed granted” remedy when local governments fail to act on infrastructure siting applications within the FCC’s “shot clock” time limit, the Free State Foundation said. FSF also urged the FCC to tighten the time frames: “Arbitrary restrictions on new siting and modification applications and lengthy permit processing delays by local governments pose barriers to wireless broadband deployment and infrastructure investment.”