According to the terms of an Order, the Commission is now authorized to propose fines of up to $2 million to property owners and managers that house so-called pirate radio broadcasts on their premises or who knowingly facilitate their operation. This authority falls under the scope of the recently enacted Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act.
Under this expanded authority, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau will first provide written notice to owners and managers that illegal broadcasts are believed to be originating from their properties, thereby giving them the opportunity to remedy the problem. Depending on the response, the Commission has the discretion to take further actions, including levying financial penalties of up to $100,000 per day with a maximum penalty of $2 million.
In its Order, the Commission notes that this expanded enforcement authority is not an exercise of “administrative discretion” and therefore does not require a notice and public process to take place.
Block Electromagnetic Waves
According to a paper published in the scientific journal Carbon, the researchers found that one particular MXene, titanium carbonitride, provides an excellent shield against EM radiation. They determined that MXene not only blocks EM radiation but absorbs EM signals rather than merely reflecting them back. In their testing, samples of cotton and linen dipped into a MXene solution including titanium carbonitride blocked more than 99.9% of EM signals.
The Drexel University researchers also found that the MXene produces a durable coating that doesn’t require chemical additives or other pre-treatment or post-treatment processing. Further, MXene-treated materials lose only small amounts of their shielding effectiveness over time.
for Products
The EU Parliament suggests a number of methods that manufacturers could adopt to extend the life of their products. The suggestions include extending product guarantee periods, offering guarantees for replacement parts, and giving consumers easier access to information on maintenance and repair options.
The Parliament also calls on the Commission to implement regulatory provisions that would support more sustainable production methods by product manufacturers, and a greater emphasis on reducing practices that shorten the effective life of a given product. The Parliament also recommends increased support for the deployment of more robust second-hand markets for used products.
In a Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Commission defends its June 2020 action to officially ban the use of monies from the Commission’s Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment or services from Huawei and other companies posing a threat to national security, noting the “overwhelming evidence of Huawei’s close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military and intelligence apparatus.”
According to the FCC, “the Commission’s review of the record found that Huawei is susceptible to Chinese government pressure to participate in espionage activities and that Huawei’s close ties to the Chinese military present significant risk.” The Commission also cites bans by other countries against the use of Huawei equipment as evidence of the potential threat.