1. Working Group 4A: Submarine Cable Resiliency Status Update
December 3, 2015
Kent Bressie, Co-Chair (Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis for the North American
Submarine Cable Association
Catherine Creese, Co-Chair (Naval Seafloor Cable Protection Office)

2. WG4A Objectives
WG4A builds on the work of CSRIC IV’s WG8, which analyzed the physical risks to submarine cable infrastructure and recommended spatial separation distances.
WG4A is examining how lack of coordination across federal, state, and local agencies and clustering of cable routes and landings can increase the risk of cable damage and harm U.S. network resilience.
Cable protection remains critical, as submarine cables carry approximately 99 percent of U.S. traffic with the rest of the world, not to mention Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories.

3. WG4A Deliverables
Regulatory Coordination Report: to examine gaps, conflicts, and sources of delay in existing federal, state, and local interagency coordination for submarine cable and other marine activity and infrastructure permitting and recommend mechanism for enhancing coordination without increasing regulatory burdens.
Geographic Diversity Report: to address industry best practices and government policies for promoting geographic diversity of submarine cable routes and landings.

4. WG4A Members Steve Balk (Sprint) Paul Betts (Level 3)
Stephen Bowler (FERC)
Allan Creamer (NOAA)
Seth Davis (SRD Associates)
Jennifer Golladay (BOEM)
Kurt Johnson (Pacific Crossing)
Jennifer Miller (BOEM)
Mikal Modisette (Verizon)
Wayne Pacine (Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System)
Patrick Quentmeyer (Treasury Dep’t)
Ron Rapp (TE SubCom)
Neil Rondorf (International Cable Protection Committee)
Nikki Shone (Southern Cross Cables)
Rick Spencer (CenturyLink)
Takahiro Sumimoto (Pacific Crossing)
Minhtam Truong (DHS)
Bob Wargo (AT&T)
Al Wissman (NOAA) 4

5. WG4A Status WG4A has added two additional members for a total of 19.
WG4A has been meeting via phone every two weeks.
WG4A has heard presentations from two federal agency members, increasing the level of understanding of agency processes.
Members have begun drafting the Regulatory Coordination Report.
WG4A still seeks participation of an Army Corps representative.
Time zone differences for WG4A members continue to pose a challenge.

6. WG4A Schedule Bi-weekly conference calls with members
February 2016: submission of draft Regulatory Coordination Report
March 2015: submission of final Regulatory Coordination Report
May 2016: submission of draft Geographic Diversity Report
June 2016: submission of final Geographic Diversity Report

7. Next Steps Continue drafting the Regulatory Coordination Report
Continue bi-weekly conference calls
Provide periodic status updates to Steering Committee and Council