In response to the massive power outage Aug. 14, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Aug. 24 urging the agency to set standards for backup power systems. RCR Wireless News says that Schumer’s request seems to run counter to the FCC’s original plan of handing the problem over to the FCC’s Network Reliability and Interoperability Council. NRIC is a federal advisory committee made up of telecommunications executives that studies reasons why and ways to prevent outages.