Federal Communications Commission DA 10-311
Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of
Review of the Emergency Alert System
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EB Docket No. 04-296
ORDER
Adopted:  February 24, 2010 Released:  February 24, 2010
Revised Comment Date:  March 15, 2010
Revised Reply Comment Date: April 13, 2010
By the Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau:
1.   On January 12, 2010, the Commission adopted a Second Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (Second FNPRM) proposing to amend the Commission’s Part 11 rules governing the 
Emergency Alert System (EAS) to provide for national testing of the EAS and collection of data from 
such tests.1 The Second FNPRM seeks comment on whether the proposed rules would effectively ensure 
accurate EAS testing at the national level.2 The Second FNPRM sets deadlines for filing comments and 
reply comments at 30 and 60 days after publication of the Second FNPRM in the Federal Register.  On 
January 29, 2010, a summary of the Second FNPRM was published in the Federal Register.3  
Accordingly, the deadline for filing comments was set at March 1, 2010, and the deadline for filing reply 
comments was set at March 30, 2010.4  
2.   On February 18, 2010, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) filed a Motion for 
Extension of Time seeking a 14-day extension of the deadlines for all interested parties to submit 
Comments and Reply Comments in response to the Second FNPRM.5 NAB indicates that such an 
extension is warranted because it will enable NAB to help develop a more robust record in response to the 
Second FNPRM, particularly concerning the complex technical challenges and issues relevant to 
nationwide testing of the EAS.6 NAB also notes that the National Alliance of State Broadcasters 
Associations and NAB will hold the annual EAS National Summit in Washington, DC on February 28 to 
  
1 Review of the Emergency Alert System, EB Docket No. 04-296, Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 
FCC 10-11, __ FCC Rcd __ (rel. Jan. 14, 2010)(Second FNPRM).
2 Id. at ¶¶ 25-32.
3See 75 Fed. Reg. 4760 (Jan. 29, 2010).   
4 See Review of the Emergency Alert System, EB Docket No. 04-296, Public Notice, DA 10-206, __ FCC Rcd __ 
(rel. Jan. 29, 2010).
5 Motion for Extension of Time, EB Docket No. 04-295, filed by the National Association of Broadcasters (filed 
Feb. 18, 2010)(Motion).
6 Id. at 1.
Federal Communications Commission DA 10-311
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March 1, 2010.7 This conference will bring together representatives of the Commission, the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Capitol Hill, and the broadcasting industry to discuss EAS, public 
warning and reliability, and emergency preparedness issues generally. NAB states that broadcasters 
intend to use this opportunity to address specifically the proposed nationwide testing of EAS and other 
matters raised in the Second FNPRM.8
3.   It is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time are not routinely granted.9  
However, such extensions may be warranted when, among other things, the additional time will serve the 
public interest.10 In the instant proceeding, we find that providing the requested limited extension would 
be beneficial to the development of a complete record on the issues and that granting the extension of 
time requested by NAB therefore serves the public interest. We therefore extend the comment deadline to 
Monday, March 15, 2010, and the reply comment deadline to Tuesday, April 13, 2010.
4.   Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to Sections 4(i) and 4(j) of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 154(i) and (j), and Sections 0.191, 0.392, and 1.46 of the 
Commission’s Rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.191, 0.392, and 1.46, the Motion for Extension of Time filed by the 
National Association of Broadcasters IS GRANTED, and the deadlines for filing comments and reply 
comments in response to the Second FNPRM ARE EXTENDED to March 15, 2010 and April 13, 2010, 
respectively.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
James Arden Barnett. Jr., Rear Admiral (Ret.)
Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
  
7 Id. at 1-2.
8 Id. at 2.
9 47 C.F.R. § 1.46(a).
10 See, e.g., Service Rules for Advanced Wireless Services in the 2155-2175 MHZ Band, WT Docket No. 07-195; 
Service rules for Advanced Wireless Services in the 1915-1920 MHZ, 1995-2000 MHZ, 2020-2025 MHZ and 2175-
2180 MHZ Bands, WT Docket No. 04-356, Order, 23 FCC Rcd 10527, 10528 ¶ 4 (WTB 2008).