[EAS] NWS Status as an EAS Monitoring Source

[Dave Kline]

This is not to start a debate, or discuss the role of NWS in any of the nation's alerting schemes. I am simply looking for an answer to a specific question to address a specific local issue.

Earlier this week I was in a discussion with an ABIP Inspector. I had asked a question about how soon a station needs to notify the FCC if they are having difficulty receiving alerts from NWS.

In that discussion, the inspector mentioned that there has been recent changes indicating that NWS is optional for EAS monitoring. I asked where he got the information, hoping that he could cite some document from the FCC or FEMA. Instead, his source was an attorney who practices FCC law. All well and good except that is not a source I can quote.

My question to the respective groups is:
Are you aware of any such ruling by the FCC or FEMA, or other federal agency that would confirm that monitoring NWS is now optional, and is not required for EAS. This question assumes that stations are already monitoring two other sources for national alerts and IPAWS, as indicated in Part 11.

Again, this is not asked for the purposes of questioning or debating the NWS role in alerting. This is only to help resolve a local issue that has recently come up. I need a credible source, if one exists, that I can cite to show if NWS has recently been ruled by any federal authority as being optional for EAS monitoring.

Thank you.

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Dave Kline - Solder Jockey
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