Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J. is seeking temporary FCC waiver o...

site. Part 90 and Part 101 licenses automatically cancel when operation permanently discontinues, which is defined in regulations as at least one year of defunct operation. Unless waiver is granted, Port Authority said microwave radio and land mobile licenses covered under request would die automatically Sept. 11. “Temporary waiver is required until such time as the Port Authority is able to reconstruct and resume operation of these communication stations,” agency told FCC. Each station cited by Port Authority either used World Trade Center complex as transmission site or, in case of several microwave facilities, as receiving site for path transmitting from another location. Before Sept. 11, World Trade Center had been one of primary antenna sites for Port Authority, which operates large network of public safety mobile radio and microwave facilities in N.Y.-N.J. area. “While it has been possible to relocate some facilities to other sites on a temporary, or in some cases, permanent basis, the restoration of many of its communications facilities is part of the planning process for the restoration of the World Trade Center site,” waiver request said. Agency said its waiver request “more than satisfies” regulatory requirements for relief. “Not only does it intend to resume operation as promptly as possible, but the need for these essential public safety facilities has been heightened because of the attacks,” it said. Port Authority noted that in past, FCC had granted public safety agencies additional time to meet those requirements due to special funding and planning circumstances. Agency cited “daunting challenges” it faces in reconstructing communications that were lost when World Trade Center was destroyed.