Knik Tribe Opposes FCC's Direct Final Rule Deletions
The FCC’s direct final rule process and planned deletion of rules could disproportionately affect rural Alaska, and the agency should consult with tribal nations on any deletions, the Knik Tribe said in comments posted Wednesday in docket 25-133.
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The agency “should keep in mind when reviewing regulations governing so-called ‘obsolete’ technology that rural Alaska often relies on technologies that may not be as widely used in the rest of the country,” the Knik Tribe said. The August DFR order’s proposed deletion of a rule requiring indicating instruments and their regular maintenance at broadcast stations “could harm Knik Tribal citizens and other rural Alaskans,” it said. “If necessary instruments are not adequately maintained or timely repaired, rural communities could be left without critical information." The tribe's letter urged the FCC to withdraw the proposed deletion.
The DFR process also “does not give the Knik Tribe or other members of the public adequate time or information to provide meaningful comments,” the letter said. The August DFR order “proposes deleting 71 rule provisions, including 98 rules and requirements, with hardly any explanation.” The tribe lacks the resources needed to review the proposed deletions “in only 20 days, try to ascertain why those regulations might be proposed for deletion, and also assess the impact to the Tribe of that deletion.”
The draft DFR item that the FCC released Tuesday proposes deleting 387 rules (see 2509090060). The agency should “explain what each rule currently does, why it is proposed for deletion, and the anticipated effects of that deletion” in DFR orders, the Knik Tribe said. The FCC promised in a 2000 policy statement to consult with tribal governments before implementing rule changes that could significantly affect them, the letter added, and the DFR process doesn’t satisfy that policy.