Senators Markey and Wyden Introduce GREEN Communications Act to Promote Network Resiliency and Energy Efficiency in Communications Networks

Sens Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Generating Resilient and Energy Efficient Network (GREEN) Communications Act, legislation that will harden our communications networks against climate change and natural disasters, while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of communications infrastructure. Scientists have projected that sea-level rise will submerge more than 4,000 miles of fiber optic cables within the next 15 years. Increasing extreme weather events – like hurricanes and wildfires – also raise the likelihood of severe outages in our communications networks. At the same time, studies estimate that the information and communications industry produces about two percent of global CO2 emissions – which is approximately the same as the entire aviation industry. In order to address these overlapping issues, the GREEN Communications Act will create a new program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which will fund projects to increase the resiliency and energy efficiency of communications networks and infrastructure. In addition, this legislation will instruct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a regulatory resiliency framework designed to minimize the number, length, and impact of future communications network outages. The GREEN Communications Act (S.1506) will specifically:

• Authorize $5 billion for a new program at NTIA that will provide grants and revolving loans for projects designed to strengthen the resiliency of communications networks and increase the energy efficiency of communications infrastructure
• Prioritize funding for low-income, rural, and racial or ethnic minority communities, and for projects that demonstrate the greatest overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, benefit the most vulnerable areas, or utilize green solutions to increase resiliency
• Requires recipients of energy efficiency funding to annually report on the electrical consumption – by energy source – of the communications infrastructure that is the subject of their project, as well as develop a comprehensive plan for achieving net-zero carbon emissions from their overall communications infrastructure
• Requires recipients of resiliency funding to participate in the FCC’s Disaster Information Reporting System, submit new reports on the number and impact of network outages, and develop a comprehensive resiliency plan for protecting their overall communications infrastructure from severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change
• Directs the FCC to issue rules and establish a regulatory resiliency framework designed to minimize the number, duration, and impact of future communications network outages, as well as help plan for long-term disruptions to communications networks and support the communications needs of first responders
• Requires a variety of studies and reports from relevant federal agencies, including:
  • An FCC study on the feasibility of establishing a map that shows projected risks to communications infrastructure from severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change
  • An annual NTIA report detailing the number of network outages and the latest risks that are attributable to severe weather, natural disasters, and climate change, as well as any shifts in the energy consumption patterns of networks and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from communications infrastructure