*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 40907*
 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  August  4,  2004  Suzanne  Tetreault  at  (202)  418-  7450 
 COMMISSION  SEEKS  COMMENT  ON  RULE  CHANGES  FOR  THE  EMERGENCY  ALERT  SYSTEM 
 Washington,  D.  C.  -  The  Commission  today  issued  a  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  (NPRM)  concerning  the  Emergency  Alert  System  (EAS),  seeking  comment  on  how  EAS  can  be  improved 
 to  be  a  more  effective  mechanism  for  warning  the  American  public  of  an  emergency.  The  action  stems  in  part  from  recommendations  of  the  Media  Security  and  Reliability  Council  (an  FCC 
 Advisory  Committee),  and  the  Partnership  for  Public  Warning. 
 The  Commission  has  already  begun  –  and  will  continue  throughout  this  proceeding  –  to  coordinate  carefully  with  the  Department  of  Homeland  Security  and  its  component,  FEMA  and 
 the  Department  of  Commerce  and  its  component,  the  National  Oceanic  and  Atmospheric  Administration’s  National  Weather  Service.  These  Federal  partners  will  be  active  participants  in 
 the  proceeding.  In  addition,  the  Commission  seeks  participation  of  state  and  local  emergency  planning  organizations  as  well  as  all  communications  industries  involved  in  alert  and  warning. 


 Action  by  the  Commission,  August  4,  2004,  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  in  the  Matter  of  Review  of  the  Emergency  Alert  System.  (FCC  04-  189).  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners 
 Abernathy,  Copps,  Martin,  and  Adelstein  with  separate  statements  issued  by  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners  Abernathy,  Copps,  Martin,  and  Adelstein. 


 Enforcement  Bureau  Contacts:  Suzanne  Tetreault  at  (202)  418-  7450  and  James  Dailey  at  (202)  418-  1199. 
 EB  Docket  No.  04-  296 
 -FCC- 
1