Document 70
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Mclaughlin, Katherine Thu, 3 Jul 2025 12:07:17 +0000 Adrienne Lotto; Jereza, Catherine; Bindewald Ill, Gilbert Desmarie Waterhouse; Amy Thomas; Michael Coe RE: [External] RE: Wildfire & 6 GHZ
Good morning all,
Thanks Adrienne.
New dates/times are below.
Katherine
7/28
2:00pm
7/29
3:00pm
7/30
1 :00pm
7/31
11 :00am
From: Adrienne Lotto <alotto@publicpower.org> Sent: Thursday, July 3, 2025 6:44 AM To: Mclaughlin, Katherine <katherine.mclaughlin@hq.doe.gov>; Jereza, Catherine <catherine.jereza@hq.doe.gov>; Bindewald 111, Gilbert <gilbert.bindewald@hq.doe.gov> Cc: Desmarie Waterhouse <dwaterhouse@publicpower.org>; Amy Thomas <athomas@publicpower.org>; Michael Coe <mcoe@publicpower.org> Subject: RE: [External] RE: Wildfire & 6 GHZ
Thanks Katie. This is super helpful.
Katherine- I always love seeing your name on my screen @-
Can we look at a few dates the following week? It would be most appreciated. Adrienne
Adrienne Lotto SVP Grid Security, Technical & Operations
Sierra Club v. Dept of Energy, 4:25-cv-5027
SC_EVERSPLIT0027232
AMERICAN
PUBLIC
P,"_;W_.,,l,._~i( ASSOCIATION
Powenng Strong Communities
2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 1000 Arlington, VA 22202-4804
alotto@PublicPower.org Cell: (b) (6) www.PublicPower.org #Public Power
From: Mclaughlin, Katherine <katherine.mclaughlin@hg.doe.gov> Sent: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 4:28 PM To: Jereza, Catherine <catherine.jereza@hq.doe.gov>; Adrienne Lotto <alotto@publicpower.org>; Bindewald Ill, Gilbert <gilbert.bindewald@hq.doe.gov> Cc: Desmarie Waterhouse <dwaterhouse@publicpower.org>; Amy Thomas <athomas@publicpower.org>; Michael Coe <mcoe@publicpower.org> Subject: [External] RE: Wildfire & 6 GHZ
Hi Adrienne,
Availability for Katie and Gil is below. Let me know if any of the dates/times will be available for you and your team. I can send an invite for a meeting at DOE. If needed, I can also look at the following week.
Thanks, Katherine
7/23
1:00pm
7/24
10:00am
7/25
2:30pm
From: Jereza, Catherine <catherine.jereza@hq.doe.gov> Sent: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 4:17 PM To: Adrienne Lotto <alotto@publicpower.org>; Bindewald Ill, Gilbert <gilbert.bindewald@hq.doe.gov> Cc: Desmarie Waterhouse <dwaterhouse@publicpower.org>; Amy Thomas <athomas@publicpower.org>; Michael Coe <mcoe@publicpower.org>; Mclaughlin, Katherine <katherine.mclaughlin@hq.doe.gov> Subject: RE : Wildfire & 6 GHZ
Sierra Club v. Dept of Energy, 4:25-cv-5027
SC_EVERSPLIT0027233
Hi Adrienne - It was great to see you too! I've copied Katherine who can help schedule for week of 7/21.
As I mentioned during the ESCC meeting, I'm the DOE representative on the interagency committee to deliver on EO 14308 (Empowering Commonsense wildfire Prevention and Response) by Sept 10. I've summarized the 3 areas I'll be engaged in:
1. Sec 4d (primary role) to consider a rulemaking on best practices to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition from the BPS without increasing costs to consumers
2. Sec 4e (inform) on review of pending and proposed wildfire related litigation involving electrical utility companies
3. Sec 3bi (inform) to develop a technology roadmap to increase wildfire firefighting capabilities and identify wildland fire ignitions
My first committee meeting will be held on Mon 7/7 so the timing for us to meet later in July will work well. I will keep you informed as I learn more.
As for the spectrum discussion, I've been trying to keep up with the White House Spectrum Strategy and it's impacts across the sector, including the PMAs. Happy to hear more about APPA's concerns, and Gil will have to be the one to talk about OE's work.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks and have a great Independence Day!
Katie
Catherine (Katie) Jereza Sr. Advisor, Undersecretary for Infrastructure
From: Adrienne Lotto <alotto@publicpower.org> Sent: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 5:54 AM To: Jereza, Catherine <catherine.jereza@hq.doe.gov>; Bindewald 111, Gilbert <gilbert.bindewald@hq.doe.gov> Cc: Desmarie Waterhouse <dwaterhouse@publicpower.org>; Amy Thomas <athomas@publicpower.org>; Michael Coe <mcoe@publicpower.org> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Wildfire & 6 GHZ
Katie and Gil,
It was so nice seeing you both last week at the ESCC meeting. APPA was hoping to set up a brief meeting with you both to discuss 2 issues:
Sierra Club v. Dept of Energy, 4:25-cv-5027
SC_EVERSPLIT0027234
1. Wildfire Executive Order: As you know, the risk of wildfire remains a top concern for our members, and we wou ld like to have a discussion on how best to help with the implementation on the wildfire EO; and
2. 6 GHz: APPA would encourage DOEs Office of Electricity to examine the language in section 002 of the Senate Commerce Committee's mark for the Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, which would allow for the auctioning of spectrum in the 6 GHz band. This band is used by electric utilities for critical communications using microwave networks. These networks are critical for system reliability and support real-time operations, including supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used to monitor and control generating units, transmission lines, and substation equipment. They are also used for system protection and voice communications between utility personnel in the field during natural disasters and other emergencies. Opening this band for commercial auction could lead to harmful interference to these critical networks and/or the possible forced movement of the electric sector out of this band. The House-passed reconciliation bill exempts the 6 GHz band from auction (section 43101 of H.R. 1), which we support.
DOE expressed concerns in 2019 to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration , on a proposal by the FCC to allow unlicensed operations in the band. The 6 GHz alert was presented at the September 2024 meeting of the NERC Reliability and Security Technical Committee (RSTC) meeting in this packet.
We know it's a holiday week. Perhaps the week of 7/21 can work?
Thanks so much. Adrienne
Adrienne Lotto SVP Grid Security, Technical & Operations
AMERICAN
PUBLIC
PV~'w... -,.~K ASSOCIATION
Powering Strong COmmunities
2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 1000 Arlington, VA 22202-4804
alotto@PublicPower.org
Cell: (b) (6)
www.PublicPower.org #P ublic Po we r
Sierra Club v. Dept of Energy, 4:25-cv-5027
SC_EVERSPLIT0027235
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Sierra Club v. Dept of Energy, 4:25-cv-5027
SC_EVERSPLIT0027236