Contact: Scott Bolden, 202-898-8083, sbolden@naruc.org

WASHINGTON (January 7, 2021) — The Federal Communications Commission has confirmed nominations of state utility regulators by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. The Commission voted unanimously on December 30, 2020, to appoint Commissioner Michael Caron of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Commissioner Karen Charles Peterson of the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable and Commissioner Brandon Presley of the Mississippi Public Service Commission to serve on this crucial advisory body.

According to the FCC’s website, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service was established in March 1996 to make recommendations to the FCC on how to implement the universal service provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This Joint Board is comprised of FCC commissioners, state utility commissioners and a consumer advocate representative. 

“It is an honor to be selected as a member of the FCC Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service,” said Caron. “I am fortunate to join Commissioners Karen Charles Peterson of Massachusetts and former NARUC President Brandon Presley of Mississippi for this very important work.  I look forward to a productive relationship with our friends at the FCC.”

NARUC President and Idaho Commissioner Paul Kjellander added, “The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service will benefit greatly from the appointments of Michael Caron, Karen Charles Peterson and Brandon Presley.  They all care deeply about the future of the Universal Service Fund and its pivotal role as it relates to deployment of broadband services in unserved and underserved areas of our nation.  I am also very pleased to see the FCC respond so quickly to these appointments.  It demonstrates a desire to foster positive relationships between state and federal regulators.”

For more information regarding the appointments, please see the order from the FCC.

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About NARUC

NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government. www.naruc.org.