FCC Staff Delays by 3 Weeks Net Neutrality Comments Amid COVID-19

FCC staff delayed deadlines on the agency "seeking to refresh the record" on net neutrality and Lifeline, it announced Wednesday afternoon. "With this 21-day extension, comments are due" April 20, replies May 20. A Feb. 19 public notice sought feedback on aspects of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Mozilla v. FCC ruling.

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, California Public Utilities Commission, Los Angeles, Center for Democracy and Technology, Common Cause, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Incompas and Public Knowledge were among those that earlier this month sought delays to have comments due April 29, replies May 29. Some of those groups didn't comment right away.

The PN had a month for comments and one more for replies, the commission said now. "Nevertheless, we find that Requesters have shown good cause for an extension of the comment cycle, and that the public interest will be served by extending the" deadlines, it added. "Requesters assert that staff, officials, and first responders who possess knowledge relevant to the public safety-related questions raised in the Public Notice are presently occupied with preparing for and conducting emergency responses to the COVID-19 public safety crisis."