JUN-14-2010-MON 11:19 AM REP ANN KIRKPATRICK
FAX No. 2022269739 p, 002
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June 14, 2010
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The Honorable Julius Oena.chowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554-0005
· Dear ChairmanOenachowski,
,
.i.
I write today to request that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) consider the needs ofmy constituents
· in Gila and Pinal Counties, as the FCC continues the adjudication process rega{(!ilig WT Docket No. 09·104.
·Both Gila and Pinal Counties contain some ofArizOIlll'S most sparsely populated areas. Ensuring access to both
fixed and mobile telecommunications has been and continues to be a challenge. Both counties have been bit hard by
the recession and must contend with critical public safety issues on a daily basis. In 2002, thousands Qf acres in Gila
County were deatrOyed inthe massive Rodoo-Chodiski Fire. With reliable fixed and mobile te1ecommUllications
networlcs inplace, fire departments, police officers and area reSidents would be in a better position to prevent and
fight tho devastating effects ofthese annual wild fires. .
In additionto wild fires, public safety officers in Pinal County must contend with a high volume ofdrug trafficking
and chug trafficking related crime that bas led the Office ofNational Drug Control Policy to designate the county as
a High-Intensity Drug TrafficJcins Alea. (HIDTA). Seamlesscommllllication is eSSllIltial to effectively ending the
production, manufacture, transportation, and distribution~fillegal drugs. Without the necessary telecommunications
infrast1"llcture in place. PiDal County will continue to encounter difficulties in fighting the serious drug trafficking
problems that also hamlfWly impact other. commuDities in the Southwest.
These growing econQlIlic development and public safety issues make~reliable access totclecomm~oDS
networks even more urgent. Over tho past year, I have worlced with tho FCC, NTIA and RUS to brina to these aress
.tho telec.ommunications services Americans in urban and suburban arllllS have been able to access for Y08J'S.
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AT&T is ready to deploy $400 million worth ofequipment that will improve telecommUllications access in Gila and
Pinal Counties. Unfortunately, AT&T '5 expansion ofinfrastructure to benefit Gila and Pinal cannot begin until the
,·l'eCims"'SUbmitted-a-decision1'egarding-iill.tel'~-presence1n-1\1i1;onadt-is-my1lIlderstandins;hat·the-FGG-is-cl.Cilse-to.
issuiDgthis decision and I sirilplywanted to illustrate the challenges my cODStituents 'continue to face while this
situation remains Wlresolved and AT&T is unable to install and activate deployable infrastructure.
Sincerely,