FCC Shifts USF Funds to Pay for Storm Relief for Schools, Libraries
FCC commissioners approved temporary rules providing immediate relief to schools and libraries contending with “devastation” caused by Harvey, Irma and Maria. It makes "available targeted support to schools and libraries that are forced to rebuild facilities and replace equipment damaged…
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by the Hurricanes, and provide increased flexibility for eligible services to be restored through service substitutions,” said a Monday order in docket 02-6. “We also make additional E-rate support available for schools that are incurring additional costs for eligible services, e.g., for increased bandwidth demand, because they are serving students that have been displaced by the storms, even though they may not be contending with substantial physical damage.” The storms together caused an estimated $150 billion-$200 billion in damage to areas of Texas, Florida and Georgia “and to virtually all of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands,” the agency said. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said the FCC should work with Congress to determine whether the USF programs could be reimbursed through funding targeted to hurricane relief. “Because of our budget limitations, providing additional funding from universal service generally comes at the expense of other recipients,” O’Rielly said.