The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
TELECOM
FCC
International Reports
The FCC announced the date for filing the annual international traffic and revenue reports for calendar year 2014. For this year only, the reports must be filed by September 30, 2015; revisions must be filed by November 30, 2015. Normally, the reports are due by July 31 of each year, with revisions, if needed, to be filed by October 31. The filing deadlines were extended this year as a result of delays in implementing the FCC’s new online filing system.
NDBEDP
The FCC announced the selection of Disability Rights Maine for certification to participate in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) for the state of Maine, effective July 1, 2015. The new selection was made because the entity currently serving Maine informed the FCC that it would be unable to continue to participate in the NDBEDP and would be relinquishing its certifications. See the Regulatory Mix dated 7/22/15.
Washington
On August 27, 2015, the Utilities & Transportation Commission will conduct hearing proceedings to consider a proposed settlement agreement addressing staff’s report alleging that CenturyLink violated rules and regulations following a voice/data service outage in November 2013. See the Regulatory Mix dated 7/14/15 for further details.
ENERGY
Massachusetts
Governor Baker filed legislation to establish a long term, sustainable framework for further solar development in the Commonwealth. The proposed legislation is intended to reduce costs to ratepayers while strengthening the clean energy economy in Massachusetts and meeting greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements set forth under the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). The bill would raise the cap space 50% for public entities and 40% for private entities in the allowable amount of solar energy available for net metering credits. This increase will provide immediate support for projects being developed in service territories where the caps have already been reached and provides the Department of Public Utilities with the authority to raise the caps further as needed in the future. “By addressing net-metering caps in the short and long term, this legislation provides the framework necessary to achieve the Commonwealth’s goal of 1,600 megawatts by 2020 and beyond,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.
