Federal Communications Commission FCC 22-41 STATEMENT OF CHAIRWOMAN JESSICA ROSENWORCEL Re: Facilitating Access to Spectrum for Offshore Uses and Operations, WT Docket No. 22-204, Notice of Inquiry (June 8, 2022) If there is one thing you can count on with spectrum policy in the United States, it is creativity. The willingness to test frequency frontiers is part of our national DNA. It is what led us to commercial spectrum auctions and incentive auctions, unlicensed airwaves, dynamic spectrum sharing models, and more. Here we go again. In the past, most of our efforts to provide access to spectrum have stopped at our shorelines. But we know there are a lot of industrial, scientific, and recreational endeavors that could benefit from greater access to spectrum offshore. So we are taking steps to facilitate more of this kind of activity with an inquiry that asks broad questions about the kind of offshore operations that may require access to airwaves, the right combination of spectrum bands for these uses, and creative licensed and unlicensed ideas for assigning these rights. In practice, this can help the development of offshore wind farms that can harness wind over water and covert it to renewable electricity. It can mean improved tsunami warning systems with sensors that help predict and manage natural disasters. It can lead to more opportunities to keep tabs on aquatic animals to better understand the state of marine life. And it can also provide public safety with further control of drones assisting with offshore search and rescue missions. Of course, while we’re making more spectrum available at sea, we’re not slowing down on land. We are freeing up more spectrum—and especially mid-band spectrum—for 5G. In October, we kicked off an auction of 100 megahertz of prime mid-band airwaves in the 3.45 GHz band. Last month, we granted more than 4,000 licenses won in that auction. We’ve also granted more than 5,600 licenses in the C-band as well as 335 licenses in the 2.5 GHz band that will support new broadband service in our Tribal communities. And we are rolling right into our next mid-band spectrum auction, which will kick off in July. But back to the inquiry before us and the possibilities of offshore airwaves. It’s clear that a new era of innovation at sea lies ahead. Let’s make sure our efforts at the agency do more than just keep pace. Let’s make sure they lead with the kind of creativity that has always been a hallmark of our spectrum policy. Thank you to the staff responsible for this effort, including Peter Daronco, Nellie Foosaner, Jessica Greffenius, Kari Hicks, Jon Markman, Charles Mathias, Roger Noel, Jessica Quinley, Blaise Scinto, Joel Taubenblatt, and Brian Wondrack from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau; Jonathan Campbell, Nicholas Copeland, Judith Dempsey, Rachel Kazan, Kate Matraves, Giulia McHenry, Mark Montano, Erik Salovaara, Martha Stancill, Donald Stockdale, Emily Talaga, and Aleks Yankelevich from the Office of Economics and Analytics; Nese Guendelsberger, Dante Ibarra, Karl Kensinger, Wayne Leighton, Olga Madruga-Forti, Kathy O’Brien, Andrew Pegues, Jim Schlichting, and Tom Sullivan from the International Bureau; John Evanoff, David Furth, Lauren Kravetz, and Nicole McGinnis from the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Douglas Klein, William Richardson, and Anjali Singh from the Office of General Counsel; and Bahman Badipour, Martin Doczkat, Michael Ha, Ira Keltz, Nicholas Oros, Jamison Prime, Ronald Repasi, Anthony Serafini, Dana Shaffer, Thomas Struble, and Hugh Van Tuyl from the Office of Engineering and Technology.