[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 16 (Thursday, January 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5178-5179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01325]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 13-28]


Emergency Access Advisory Committee; Announcement of Charter 
Extension

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the extension of the charter of the 
Emergency Access Advisory Committee (Committee or EAAC). This extension 
of the charter will enable the EAAC to complete the important work it 
began in early 2011 pursuant to the Twenty-First Century Communications 
and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA).

DATES: The EAAC charter is now effective until June 14, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzy Rosen Singleton, Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau, (202) 810-1503, or 
[email protected] (email); and/or Zenji Nakazawa, Public Safety 
and Homeland Security Bureau, (202) 418-7949, [email protected] 
(email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By releasing the Public Notice (DA 13-28), 
the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and the Public Safety and 
Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC 
or Commission) extended the charter of the EAAC by six months until 
June 14, 2013. This extension of the charter will enable the EAAC to 
complete the important work it began in early 2011 pursuant to the 
CVAA.
    The EAAC was chartered on January 14, 2011 to determine the most 
effective and efficient technologies and methods by which to enable 
equal access to emergency services by individuals with disabilities as 
part of our nation's migration to Next Generation 911 (NG9-1-1), and to 
make recommendations to the Commission on how to achieve those 
effective and efficient technologies and methods. In spring 2011, the 
EAAC conducted a nationwide survey of individuals with disabilities and 
released a report on that survey on July 21, 2011. Following release of 
the survey report, the EAAC developed recommendations, which it 
submitted to the Commission on December 7, 2011, as required by the 
CVAA. However, the EAAC clarified that the December 2011 
recommendations did not constitute the full report and requested 
additional editorial privileges and the right to submit a full report 
that will contain the technical and policy background for these 
recommendations at a later date. The EAAC subsequently formed 
subcommittees to further explain in detail its initial recommendations 
related to interoperability testing, language assistance, gaps in 
existing public safety standards, timelines for deployment and pre-NG 
911 mobile text-to-911 solutions.
    The EAAC Charter provides that the EAAC shall terminate two years 
from the date of the Charter, thus expiring on January 14, 2013. The 
Commission has received requests from the co-chairs of

[[Page 5179]]

the EAAC, the Consumers Group and Gallaudet Technology Access Program, 
the National Emergency Number Association, and APCO International to 
extend or renew the Charter to allow the EAAC to complete its reports 
and recommendations regarding the accessibility of emergency access by 
people with disabilities. Accordingly, by releasing the Public Notice 
on January 11, 2013 (DA-28), the Consumer and Governmental Affairs 
Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau grant these 
requests, and provide a six-month extension of the Charter in order to 
ensure the EAAC has sufficient time to complete its work, pursuant to 
the CVAA. The Charter is hereby effective until June 14, 2013.
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Federal Communications Commission.
Karen Peltz Strauss,
Deputy Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2013-01325 Filed 1-23-13; 8:45 am]
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