Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment, 58749-58759 [2017-26940]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
postpone the effectiveness of such rule
or action. This action may not be
challenged later in proceedings to
enforce its requirements (see section
307(b)(2)).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations,
Nitrogen oxides, Sulfur oxides,
Particulate matter.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: December 4, 2017.
Alexis Strauss,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 2017–26899 Filed 12–13–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
46 CFR Part 67
[USCG–2016–0531]
Vessel Documentation Regulations—
Technical Amendments
Correction
In rule document 2017–20023
beginning on page 43858 in the issue of
Wednesday, September 20, 2017, make
the following correction:
§ 67.3
[Corrected]
In § 67.3, on page 43863, in the third
column, in the sixth through eighth
lines, ‘‘redesignate paragraphs (a) and
(b) as paragraphs (1) and (2);’’ should
read ‘‘redesignate paragraphs (a)
through (c) as paragraphs (1) through
(3);’’.
■
[FR Doc. C1–2017–20023 Filed 12–13–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1301–00–D
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 1
[WT Docket No. 17–79; FCC 17–153]
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Accelerating Wireless Broadband
Deployment by Removing Barriers to
Infrastructure Investment
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
The Federal Communications
Commission (Commission) eliminates
historic preservation review of
replacement utility poles that support
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
communications equipment, subject to
conditions that ensure no effects on
historic properties. The Commission
also consolidates historic preservation
requirements in a single new rule.
DATES: Effective January 16, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Sieradzki, David.Sieradzki@
fcc.gov, of the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau,
Competition & Infrastructure Policy
Division, 202–418–1368.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
summary of the Commission’s Report
and Order in WT Docket No. 17–79;
FCC 17–153, adopted November 16,
2017, and released on November 17,
2017. The document is available for
download at https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/
edocs_public/. The complete text of this
document is also available for
inspection and copying during normal
business hours in the FCC Reference
Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th
Street SW, Room CY–A257,
Washington, DC 20554. To request
materials in accessible formats for
people with disabilities (Braille, large
print, electronic files, audio format),
send an email to FCC504@fcc.gov or call
the Consumer & Governmental Affairs
Bureau at 202–418–0530 (voice), 202–
418–0432 (TTY).
I. Streamlining the Historic
Preservation Review Process
1. Enhancing the nation’s wireless
infrastructure is essential to meeting the
exploding demand for robust mobile
services and delivering the next
generation of applications using
transformative new network
technologies. Review of deployment
proposals pursuant to Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA), 54 U.S.C. 306108, generally
serves the public policy objective of
preserving the nation’s historic heritage.
Not all infrastructure deployments,
however, have the potential to affect
historic properties. Where such
potential effects do not exist, requiring
an individual historic preservation
review can impose needless burdens
and slow infrastructure deployment.
2. Section 106 of the NHPA, 54 U.S.C.
306108, requires federal agencies to take
into account the effect (if any) of their
proposed undertakings on historic
properties before proceeding with such
undertakings. Agencies are responsible
for deciding whether or not particular
types of activities qualify as
undertakings under the definitions in
the regulations of the Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation (ACHP). See 36
CFR 800.3(a), 800.16(y). Where an
agency determines that a type of activity
PO 00000
Frm 00043
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
58749
has no potential to affect historic
properties under any circumstances, the
agency may unilaterally eliminate the
review process for such undertakings.
36 CFR 800.3(a)(1).
3. In 2004, the Commission, the
ACHP, and the National Conference of
State Historic Preservation Officers
agreed to the establishment of the
Nationwide Programmatic Agreement
for Review of Effects on Historic
Properties for Certain Undertakings
2004 NPA). 47 CFR part 1. Of particular
relevance here, the 2004 NPA excludes
the construction of replacement
structures from historic preservation
review under defined conditions, but
only if the structure being replaced
meets the definition of a ‘‘tower,’’
meaning that it was constructed for the
sole or primary purpose of supporting
Commission-authorized antennas. See
47 CFR part 1, Appendix C, section
III.B. A structure that does not qualify
as a tower, such as a pole that initially
was erected to support electric utility
lines, does not fall within the exclusion
under the 2004 NPA even if it is later
used to support Commission-authorized
antennas. Consequently, if such a pole
must be replaced to support a
communications antenna and no other
exclusion applies, the pole replacement
is subject to review.
4. In the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking in the present proceeding,
the Commission initiated a broad
examination of the regulatory
impediments to wireless network
infrastructure investment and
deployment, and how we may remove
or reduce such impediments, consistent
with the law and the public interest, in
order to promote the rapid deployment
of advanced wireless broadband service
to all Americans. See Accelerating
Wireless Broadband Deployment by
Removing Barriers to Infrastructure
Deployment, 32 FCC Rcd 3330 (2017)
(2017 Wireless Infrastructure NPRM) ;
see also Proposed Rule, 82 FR 21761
(May 10, 2017). The Commission
specifically sought comment on whether
to expand the categories of undertakings
that are excluded from historic
preservation review to include pole
replacements, and whether such a step
would facilitate wireless facility siting
while creating no or foreseeably
minimal potential for adverse impacts to
historic properties. The Commission
asked whether the construction of
replacement poles should be excluded
from Section 106 review, provided that
the replacement pole is not substantially
larger than the pole it is replacing, and
solicited input on whether any
additional conditions would be
appropriate.
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
58750
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
II. Exclusion for Pole Replacements
That Have No Potential To Affect
Historic Properties
5. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1), the
Commission concludes that, in the
circumstances specified below,
replacement of a pole that was
constructed with a sole or primary
purpose other than supporting
communications antennas with a pole
that will support such antennas would
have no potential to affect historic
properties. The Commission therefore
revises its rules to provide that the
construction of such replacement poles
will be excluded from Section 106
review when all the following
conditions are met. First, paragraph
(b)(3)(i) of the new rule provides that
this new exclusion applies only if the
original structure is a pole that can hold
utility, communications, or related
transmission lines; was not originally
erected for the sole or primary purpose
of supporting antennas that operate
pursuant to a spectrum license or
authorization issued by the
Commission; and is not itself a historic
property.
6. In addition, paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A)
specifies that, to qualify for this new
exclusion, the replacement pole must be
located no more than 10 feet away from
the original pole, based on the distance
between the centerpoint of the
replacement pole and the centerpoint of
the original pole; provided that
construction of the replacement pole in
place of the original pole entails no new
ground disturbance (either laterally or
in depth) outside previously disturbed
areas, including disturbance associated
with temporary support of utility,
communications, or related
transmission lines. For purposes of
paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A), ‘‘ground
disturbance’’ means any activity that
moves, compacts, alters, displaces, or
penetrates the ground surface of
previously undisturbed soils.
7. Moreover, paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(B) of
the new rule provides that a
replacement pole qualifies for this
exclusion only if its height does not
exceed the height of the original pole by
more than 5 feet or 10 percent of the
height of the original pole, whichever is
greater. Paragraph (c)(ii)(C) establishes
that the appearance of such a
replacement pole must be consistent
with the quality and appearance of the
original pole. Notably, antennas
separately deployed on a replacement
pole that is exempted under the rule
adopted here remain subject to existing
historic preservation rules about
antenna deployments, including the
exemptions for equipment that is
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
limited in size set forth in 47 CFR part
1, sections VI.A.5, VII.B.2 & 3.
8. The Commission concludes that,
where all of these conditions are met,
the construction of a replacement utility
pole—i.e., a new pole in place of a
preexisting pole that is being removed—
will have no potential to affect historic
properties (even assuming such
properties are present), regardless of
whether the original pole was built for
the purpose of supporting
communications equipment. The
Commission further concludes that
excluding such replacements from
historic preservation review advances
the public interest. The Commission has
authority to take this step pursuant to 36
CFR 800.3(a)(1), which authorizes
agencies to exclude undertakings that
have no potential to affect historic
properties from historic preservation
review. Notably, for present purposes,
the Commission does not revisit its
treatment of the construction of wireless
communications structures, including
replacement structures, as Commission
undertakings.
9. The Commission anticipates that
adoption of this exclusion will provide
significant efficiencies in the
deployment of replacement facilities.
The record indicates that pole
replacements are often required to
support small cell facilities, which
increasingly will be needed to support
the rollout of next-generation services.
Small cell antennas are much smaller
and less obtrusive than traditional
antennas mounted on macro cell towers,
but a far larger number of them will be
needed to accomplish the network
densification that providers need, both
in order to satisfy the exploding
consumer demand for wireless data for
existing services and in order to
implement advanced technologies such
as 5G. We find that excluding the pole
replacements at issue here from review
under section 106 of the NHPA will
allow providers to complete these
deployments more efficiently. In
addition, creating an exclusion for
replacement of utility poles will make
more consistent the process that carriers
and pole constructors must follow to
comply with our historic preservation
review requirements and those they
must follow when building replacement
poles that are subject to the
requirements of other agencies applying
the ACHP’s 2017 Federal Lands
Program Comment. See Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation, Notice
of Issuance of Program Comment for
Communications Projects on Federal
Lands and Property, 82 FR 23818 (May
24, 2017) (Federal Lands Program
Comment).
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
10. In implementing large-scale
network densification projects that
require deployment of large numbers of
facilities within a relatively brief period
of time, use of existing structures, where
feasible, can both promote efficiency
and avoid adverse impacts on the
human environment. Utility poles may
be an appealing option for such
deployments, since they often are the
appropriate height for small cell
antennas and are ubiquitous in many
metropolitan areas. When existing
utility poles cannot support additional
equipment, however, pole replacement
is required. Wooden utility poles, in
particular, frequently need to be
replaced because of their age and
condition. For example, over time,
wooden poles typically begin to rot from
the top, where additional antennas
associated with small cell facilities are
usually attached, and frequently need to
be replaced to have sufficient strength to
support additional attachments. A pole
also may need to be replaced if it is not
sturdy enough or if it lacks sufficient
space to mount new small cell antennas
above utility infrastructure already
installed on the pole, such as electric
cables, telephone lines, cable television
wires, or other equipment.
11. Replacement poles placed in
essentially the same previously
disturbed locations as the original
structures will be sturdier than the
preexisting poles, but will not
necessarily be substantially taller or
occupy appreciably more space on or in
the ground than the original poles. In
those circumstances, there is no
likelihood that such pole replacements
could affect historic properties.
Nonetheless, under current rules, only
replacements for poles meeting the
definition of a ‘‘tower’’ are excluded
from Section 106 review while other
types of pole replacements continue to
require review. See 47 CFR part 1,
section III.B. The Commission finds,
consistent with some parties’ comments,
that there is no valid reason to continue
distinguishing between poles based on
the purpose for which they were
originally constructed, because the
statutory test is whether a federal
undertaking has a potential effect on
historic properties, and is not based on
the prior uses of a particular structure.
The Commission also finds that
adopting an exclusion for replacement
utility poles will promote greater
consistency by providing similar
treatment for similar replacement
structures. The Commission expects that
creating an additional exclusion for pole
replacements will encourage providers
to replace existing poles in previously
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
disturbed areas rather than undertaking
new construction activity that
potentially could affect historic
properties.
12. The Commission limits the
replacement pole exclusion, as
discussed below, to ensure that such
pole replacements have no potential to
affect historic properties. These
limitations address the concerns raised
by some parties about the potential
effect of a broad, unlimited exclusion
for replacement poles and ensure that
the exclusion established in this rule
satisfies the strict standard in the
ACHP’s rules. In adopting these
conditions, we rely on, and incorporate,
the Commission’s and the ACHP’s
analyses in support of recent similar
exclusions, including the exclusion of
utility pole replacements in section
VIII.B of the ACHP’s 2017 Federal Lands
Program Comment.
13. The new exclusion established
here focuses only on utility pole
replacements. Accordingly, paragraph
(b)(3)(i)(A) of the rule describes the new
exclusion using terminology consistent
with that in section III.O of the Federal
Lands Program Comment by referring to
poles that ‘‘can hold utility,
communications, or related
transmission lines.’’ Notably, section
III.O of the Federal Lands Program
Comment defines a ‘‘pole’’ as ‘‘a nontower structure that can hold utility,
communications, and related
transmission lines;’’ paragraph
(b)(3)(i)(A) of the Commission’s new
rule is similar, but uses the word ‘‘or’’
instead of the word ‘‘and,’’ in order to
clarify that this replacement pole
exclusion extends to replacements
where the original poles are capable of
supporting any of the listed types of
facilities, not necessarily all of them.
14. Paragraph (b)(3)(i)(B) makes clear
that replacements for structures that
section III.B of the 2004 NPA defines as
‘‘towers,’’ since that program alternative
already sets forth the conditions under
which replacement of towers will be
excluded from review. See 47 CFR part
1, section III.B. And paragraph
(b)(3)(i)(C) of the new rule makes clear
that the construction of new poles to
replace existing poles that themselves
qualify as historic structures are not
excluded from review.
15. The new rule’s limitations
regarding location, size, quality, and
appearance of replacement poles
address the concerns raised by some
Tribal Nations, State Historic
Preservation Officers, and preservation
advocates. Consistent with commenters’
concerns, the Commission finds that
excluding replacement poles that are
substantially larger than or that differ in
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
other material ways from the poles
being replaced might compromise the
integrity of historic properties and
districts. The Commission therefore
excludes from historic preservation
review only those replacement poles
that are situated no more than ten feet
away from the original hole; are no more
than 10 percent or five feet taller than
the original pole, whichever is greater;
and are consistent with the quality and
appearance of the original pole.
16. The provision limiting the
exclusion to a new pole located no more
than 10 feet from the original structure
ensures that the new pole is truly a
‘‘replacement’’ and that the replacement
will not substantially alter the setting of
any historic properties that may be
nearby. The Commission finds that the
minimal change in location permitted
here, which will make pole
replacements easier to construct as a
practical matter, creates no risk of
effects on historic properties in light of
the fact that no new ground disturbance
will be permitted. Moreover, the
Commission finds that the deployment
of a replacement pole no more than 10
feet from the original pole has no
potential to cause effects on historic
properties that might be present,
because of the close proximity to the
original pole and the de minimis size
increase permissible to fall into this
exception. The Commission cannot
reach the same conclusion, however,
with regard to replacement poles placed
a considerable distance (e.g., 30 feet)
away from the originals.
17. For purposes of this new
exclusion, we use a size definition that
differs from the definition of
‘‘substantial increase in the size of the
tower’’ in 47 CFR part 1, section 1.E.1
and in 47 CFR part 1, sections III.A and
III.B, because that definition allows for
increasing the height by either 10
percent or 20 feet plus the height of an
antenna array, whichever is greater.
Utility poles are typically 25 to 40 feet
tall, and we find that an increase in
height limited to 10 percent or five feet
would be de minimis and thus would
have no potential to affect historic
properties. The flexibility of the five
foot alternative addresses concerns
expressed in the record that
manufacturers typically offer standard
utility poles in five-foot increments, and
that a height increase of less than five
feet often may be insufficient to
accommodate new antennas or other
equipment on a pole while maintaining
the necessary separation from
preexisting infrastructure on the pole.
18. The Commission cannot reach the
same conclusion as to a height increase
of 20 feet or more, however, because it
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
58751
cannot conclude at this time that a
replacement pole that is so much taller
than the preexisting structure would
have no potential for effects on any
historic properties that may be nearby,
as is required under 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1)
for an agency to act unilaterally. On the
other hand, the Commission disagrees
with the contention raised by some
parties that allowing even small
increases in height without historic
preservation review ultimately could
have effects due to the possibility that
multiple incremental replacements over
time eventually would result in
significantly larger poles. The
Commission does not find this
speculative concern persuasive: it is
aware of no evidence of such repeated
‘‘stacked’’ replacements of utility poles
occurring under existing program
alternatives, and it believes the
likelihood such activities will occur in
the future is remote due to the
substantial cost of removing and
replacing poles.
19. The phrase ‘‘consistent with the
quality and appearance of the originals’’
in paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(C) is imported
from the corresponding exclusion in
section VIII.B.3 of the Federal Lands
Program Comment, to ensure that there
can be no visual effects on any nearby
historic properties. The Commission
notes that a change in materials, such as
replacing a wooden pole with a metal
pole, is permissible so long as this
standard is met.
20. The Commission adopts an
additional limitation as part of
paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A) of the rule to
ensure that the pole replacement
project—including the removal of the
original pole as well as construction of
the replacement pole—will entail no
new ground disturbance. This limitation
recognizes that construction-related
ground disturbance or excavation may
affect properties that are historic due to
the presence of archeological resources,
including those of cultural or religious
significance to a Tribal Nation or Native
Hawaiian organization, which are
included within the definition of
historic property in 36 CFR 800.16(l)(1).
The limitation on new ground
disturbance outside previously
disturbed areas, including disturbance
associated with temporary support of
lines, as well as the definition of
‘‘ground disturbance’’ as ‘‘any activity
that moves, compacts, alters, displaces,
or penetrates the ground surface of
previously undisturbed soils,’’ are taken
directly from section III.I of the Federal
Lands Program Comment. The rule also
specifies that the limitation on ground
disturbance in previously undisturbed
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
58752
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
areas applies to increases in both depth
and lateral disturbance.
21. The Commission continues to
require that if, after construction
commences, the party discovers any
human or burial remains or other
historic properties (despite the previous
ground disturbance), construction must
cease immediately, and the party must
promptly notify and consult with the
Commission, the State Historic
Preservation Officer/Tribal Historic
Preservation Officer, and any affected
Tribal Nation or Native Hawaiian
organization to evaluate the discovery
and develop any appropriate measures
to handle it. See 47 CFR part 1, section
IX.A–D. Human or burial remains also
must be handled in a manner consistent
with any applicable State or Federal
laws. Id., section IX.D.
22. All the conditions described above
must be satisfied in order for a
replacement pole to be excluded from
historic preservation review. The
Commission concludes that, taken
together, these provisions will ensure
protection for historic properties and
guard against replacements that would
be out of scale with preexisting utility
poles in a particular area. By adopting
this new exclusion subject to these
limitations, the Commission continues
to fulfill its statutory responsibilities
regarding historic preservation, while
removing an unnecessary impediment
to the rapid deployment of sorely
needed small cell facilities and other
wireless infrastructure across the
country.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
III. Conforming Amendments and
Reorganization of Historic Preservation
Rules
23. In this order, the Commission also
reorganizes existing historic
preservation regulations into a single
rule section that will be clearer, more
accessible, and easier to understand.
Section 1.1307(a)(4) of the
Commission’s rules, 47 CFR
1.1307(a)(4), previously commingled
detailed provisions implementing the
historic preservation review process
under section 106 of the NHPA with the
provisions implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act, 45 U.S.C.
4321–4355. To provide more clarity, the
Commission is moving the historic
preservation review provisions into a
new rule, 47 CFR 1.1320, that more
clearly sets forth the existing
requirements governing that historic
preservation review process; and within
that rule, the Commission adopts a
paragraph (b)(3) establishing the
replacement utility pole exclusion
described above.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
24. The Commission finds that notice
and comment are unnecessary and that
it has good cause to make these
clarifying revisions without expressly
seeking comment on them. Except for
paragraph (b)(3)’s addition of a pole
replacement exclusion, new section
1.1320 makes no substantive changes to
the existing requirements implementing
the historic preservation review process
under section 106 of the NHPA and
adds no new obligations, but merely
simplifies the way the Commission’s
regulations describe them by collecting
existing requirements in one place and
organizing them in a more
straightforward fashion. Moreover, the
delay engendered by a round of
comment would be contrary to the
public interest. The simpler
presentation of our requirements in the
new rule should make it easier for
licensees and applicants to understand
and comply with our historic
preservation review requirements, and
thus may expedite the completion of
such review, thus facilitating more
expeditious deployment of wireless
infrastructure.
25. Paragraph (a) of the new rule
incorporates into the Commission’s
rules the existing provisions in the
ACHP’s regulations (see, e.g., 36 CFR
800.1(a), 800.2(a), and 800.16(b) & (y))
establishing that all federal agencies’
undertakings with the potential to cause
effects on historic properties are subject
to review under Section 106 of the
NHPA. There was no corresponding
provision in the Commission’s
preexisting rules. At the same time, the
Commission amends 47 CFR
1.1307(a)(4) to clarify that section
1.1320, as well as Section 106 of the
NHPA, identify the historic preservation
factors relevant to whether applicants
must prepare environmental
assessments of proposed actions.
26. Paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of the
new section 1.1320 clarify the
procedures that apply to historic
preservation review of categories of
undertakings. Paragraph (a)(1) clarifies
that the ACHP’s regulations (36 CFR
800.3–800.13) establish the default
procedures that generally apply to
Commission undertakings, unless the
undertakings are subject to one of the
Commission’s program alternatives,
such as those listed in paragraph (a)(2),
in which case they are reviewed using
the procedures described in the
applicable program alternative.
27. Paragraph (b) of the new rule lists
Commission undertakings that are not
subject to any FCC historic preservation
review process. Paragraph (b)(1) refers
to undertakings for which an agency
other than the Commission is the lead
PO 00000
Frm 00046
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Federal agency that is primarily
responsible for historic preservation
review. Paragraph (b)(2) recognizes that
the Commission’s program alternatives
not only establish streamlined
procedures but also exempt some
categories of undertakings from review.
Paragraph (b)(3) of the new rule sets
forth the new utility pole replacement
exclusion adopted in this order, and
paragraph (b)(4) of the new rule is
identical to paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of
section 1.1307 of the preexisting rules,
setting forth the exclusion for the
collocation of antennas and related
equipment on buildings other than
towers or utility poles. Paragraph (c) of
the new rule provides that Commission
applicants and licensees are responsible
for compliance with the historic
preservation review procedures
established in 47 CFR part 1, sections
III–X. Paragraph (d) adopts definitions
of the terms ‘‘antenna,’’ ‘‘applicant,’’
‘‘collocation,’’ ‘‘tower,’’ and
‘‘undertaking’’ based on the preexisting
definitions of these terms set forth,
respectively, in 47 CFR part 1, section
I.A; 47 CFR part 1, sections II.A.2,
II.A.4, and II.A 14; and 36 CFR
800.16(y).
IV. Procedural Matters
A. Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
28. As required by the Regulatory
Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended
(RFA), an Initial Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (IRFA) was incorporated in the
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM). The Commission sought
written public comment on the
proposals in the NPRM, including
comment on the IRFA. This present
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(FRFA) conforms to the RFA.
1. Need for and Objectives of the Rules
29. In the Order, the Commission
adopts rules that streamline the process
of deploying next-generation wireless
broadband infrastructure by eliminating
the need for historic preservation review
pursuant to the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) in certain
instances where there is no potential
effect on historic properties.
Specifically, the Commission finds that
the construction of poles that can
support antennas or other wireless
communications equipment to replace
pre-existing utility poles that are
substantially identical, under specified
conditions, has no potential to affect
historic properties, and therefore, the
historical preservation review process is
unnecessary in this context. This order
also reorganizes the rules governing the
Commission’s historic preservation
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
review procedures by bringing together
provisions that previously were
scattered across a variety of locations
into a single new Rule 1.1320, which
clearly sets forth the existing
requirements but, with the exception of
the new exclusion for replacement
utility poles, does not modify them.
2. Summary of Significant Issues Raised
by Public Comments in Response to the
IRFA
30. No parties filed comments that
specifically addressed the rules and
policies proposed in the IRFA. One
party—the Smart Cities and Special
Districts Coalition—filed comments
arguing that some small local
governments, special districts, property
owners, or small developers might be
harmed if the Commission were to
adopt certain policy changes discussed
in the NPRM relating to (i) batches of
zoning applications filed with state or
local governments, (ii) the maximum
reasonable time for state or local
governments to process zoning
applications (‘‘shot clock’’ rules and
‘‘deemed granted’’ remedies), or (iii)
limitations on proprietary properties or
regulation of their use. The present
order does not deal with any of the
issues in the NPRM that the Smart Cities
and Special Districts Coalition
addressed in the cited portions of its
comments. The Commission will
address these comments when it acts on
the relevant issues in a future order.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
3. Response to Comments by the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration
31. Pursuant to the Small Business
Jobs Act of 2010, the Commission is
required to respond to any comments
filed by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy
of the Small Business Administration
(SBA), and to provide a detailed
statement of any change made to the
proposed rules as a result of those
comments. The Chief Counsel did not
file any comments in response to the
proposed rules in this proceeding.
4. Description and Estimate of the
Number of Small Entities to Which the
Rules Will Apply
32. The RFA directs agencies to
provide a description of, and where
feasible, an estimate of the number of
small entities that may be affected by
the rules adopted herein The RFA
generally defines the term ‘‘small
entity’’ as having the same meaning as
the terms ‘‘small business,’’ ‘‘small
organization,’’ and ‘‘small governmental
jurisdiction.’’ In addition, the term
‘‘small business’’ has the same meaning
as the term ‘‘small business concern’’
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
under the Small Business Act. A ‘‘small
business concern’’ is one which: (1) Is
independently owned and operated; (2)
is not dominant in its field of operation;
and (3) satisfies any additional criteria
established by the Small Business
Administration (SBA). Below, the
Commission provides a description of
such small entities, as well as an
estimate of the number of such small
entities, where feasible.
33. Small Businesses, Small
Organizations, Small Governmental
Jurisdictions. Our actions, over time,
may affect small entities that are not
easily categorized at present. The
Commission therefore describes here, at
the outset, three comprehensive small
entity size standards that could be
directly affected herein. First, while
there are industry specific size
standards for small businesses that are
used in the regulatory flexibility
analysis, according to data from the
SBA’s Office of Advocacy, in general a
small business is an independent
business having fewer than 500
employees. These types of small
businesses represent 99.9% of all
businesses in the United States which
translates to 28.8 million businesses.
Next, the type of small entity described
as a ‘‘small organization’’ is generally
‘‘any not-for-profit enterprise which is
independently owned and operated and
is not dominant in its field.’’
Nationwide, as of 2007, there were
approximately 1,621,215 small
organizations. Finally, the small entity
described as a ‘‘small governmental
jurisdiction’’ is defined generally as
‘‘governments of cities, towns,
townships, villages, school districts, or
special districts, with a population of
less than fifty thousand.’’ U.S. Census
Bureau data published in 2012 indicate
that there were 89,476 local
governmental jurisdictions in the
United States. The Commission
estimates that, of this total, as many as
88,761 entities may qualify as ‘‘small
governmental jurisdictions.’’ Thus, the
Commission estimates that most
governmental jurisdictions are small.
34. Wireless Telecommunications
Carriers (except Satellite). This industry
comprises establishments engaged in
operating and maintaining switching
and transmission facilities to provide
communications via the airwaves.
Establishments in this industry have
spectrum licenses and provide services
using that spectrum, such as cellular
services, paging services, wireless
internet access, and wireless video
services. The appropriate size standard
under SBA rules is that such a business
is small if it has 1,500 or fewer
employees. For this industry, U.S.
PO 00000
Frm 00047
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
58753
Census data for 2012 show that there
were 967 firms that operated for the
entire year. Of this total, 955 firms had
employment of 999 or fewer employees
and 12 had employment of 1000
employees or more. Thus, under this
category and the associated size
standard, the Commission estimates that
the majority of wireless
telecommunications carriers (except
satellite) are small entities.
35. The Commission’s own data—
available in its Universal Licensing
System—indicate that, as of October 25,
2016, there are 280 Cellular licensees
that will be affected by our actions
today. The Commission does not know
how many of these licensees are small,
as the Commission does not collect that
information for these types of entities.
Similarly, according to Commission
data, 413 carriers reported that they
were engaged in the provision of
wireless telephony, including cellular
service, Personal Communications
Service (PCS), and Specialized Mobile
Radio (SMR) Telephony services. Of this
total, an estimated 261 have 1,500 or
fewer employees and 152 have more
than 1,500 employees. Thus, using
available data, the Commission
estimates that the majority of wireless
firms can be considered small.
36. Personal Radio Services. Personal
radio services provide short-range, lowpower radio for personal
communications, radio signaling, and
business communications not provided
for in other services. Personal radio
services include services operating in
spectrum licensed under part 95 of our
rules. These services include Citizen
Band Radio Service, General Mobile
Radio Service, Radio Control Radio
Service, Family Radio Service, Wireless
Medical Telemetry Service, Medical
Implant Communications Service, Low
Power Radio Service, and Multi-Use
Radio Service. There are a variety of
methods used to license the spectrum in
these rule parts, from licensing by rule,
to conditioning operation on successful
completion of a required test, to sitebased licensing, to geographic area
licensing. All such entities in this
category are wireless, therefore the
Commission applies the definition of
Wireless Telecommunications Carriers
(except Satellite), pursuant to which the
SBA’s small entity size standard is
defined as those entities employing
1,500 or fewer persons. For this
industry, U.S. Census data for 2012
show that there were 967 firms that
operated for the entire year. Of this
total, 955 firms had employment of 999
or fewer employees and 12 had
employment of 1000 employees or
more. Thus, under this category and the
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
58754
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
associated size standard, the
Commission estimates that the majority
of wireless telecommunications carriers
(except satellite) are small entities. The
Commission notes that many of the
licensees in this category are
individuals and not small entities. In
addition, due to the mostly unlicensed
and shared nature of the spectrum
utilized in many of these services, the
Commission lacks direct information
upon which to base an estimation of the
number of small entities that may be
affected by our actions in this
proceeding.
37. Public Safety Radio Licensees.
Public Safety Radio Pool licensees as a
general matter, include police, fire, local
government, forestry conservation,
highway maintenance, and emergency
medical services. Because of the vast
array of public safety licensees, the
Commission has not developed a small
business size standard specifically
applicable to public safety licensees. For
this category the Commission applies
the SBA’s definition for Wireless
Telecommunications Carriers (except
Satellite) which encompasses business
entities engaged in radiotelephone
communications and for which the
small entity size standard is defined as
those entities employing 1,500 or fewer
persons. For this industry, U.S. Census
data for 2012 show that there were 967
firms that operated for the entire year.
Of this total, 955 firms had employment
of 999 or fewer employees and 12 had
employment of 1000 employees or
more. Thus, under this category and the
associated size standard, the
Commission estimates that the majority
of wireless telecommunications carriers
(except satellite) are small entities. With
respect to local governments, in
particular, since many governmental
entities comprise the licensees for these
services, the Commission includes
under public safety services the number
of government entities affected.
According to Commission records, there
are a total of approximately 133,870
licenses within these services. There are
3,121 licenses in the 4.9 GHz band,
based on an FCC Universal Licensing
System search of March 29, 2017. The
Commission estimates that fewer than
2,442 public safety radio licensees hold
these licenses because certain entities
may have multiple licenses.
38. Private Land Mobile Radio
Licensees. Private land mobile radio
(PLMR) systems serve an essential role
in a vast range of industrial, business,
land transportation, and public safety
activities. These radios are used by
companies of all sizes operating in all
U.S. business categories. Because of the
vast array of PLMR users, the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
Commission has not developed a small
business size standard specifically
applicable to PLMR users. The SBA’s
definition for Wireless
Telecommunications Carriers (except
Satellite) which encompasses business
entities engaged in radiotelephone
communications and for which the
small entity size standard is defined as
those entities employing 1,500 or fewer
persons. For this industry, U.S. Census
data for 2012 show that there were 967
firms that operated for the entire year.
Of this total, 955 firms had employment
of 999 or fewer employees and 12 had
employment of 1000 employees or
more. Thus, under this category and the
associated size standard, the
Commission estimates that the majority
of wireless telecommunications carriers
(except satellite) are small entities.
According to the Commission’s records,
there are a total of 3,374 licenses in the
frequencies range 173.225 MHz to
173.375 MHz, which is the range
affected by this Notice. The Commission
does not require PLMR licensees to
disclose information about number of
employees, and does not have
information that could be used to
determine how many PLMR licensees
constitute small entities under this
definition. The Commission however
believes that a substantial number of
PLMR licensees may be small entities
despite the lack of specific information.
39. Multiple Address Systems. Entities
using Multiple Address Systems (MAS)
spectrum, in general, fall into two
categories: (1) Those using the spectrum
for profit-based uses, and (2) those using
the spectrum for private internal uses.
40. With respect to the first category,
Profit-based Spectrum use, the size
standards established by the
Commission define ‘‘small entity’’ for
MAS licensees as an entity that has
average annual gross revenues of less
than $15 million over the three previous
calendar years. A ‘‘Very small business’’
is defined as an entity that, together
with its affiliates, has average annual
gross revenues of not more than $3
million over the preceding three
calendar years. The SBA has approved
these definitions. The majority of MAS
operators are licensed in bands where
the Commission has implemented a
geographic area licensing approach that
requires the use of competitive bidding
procedures to resolve mutually
exclusive applications. The
Commission’s licensing database
indicates that, as of April 16, 2010, there
were a total of 11,653 site-based MAS
station authorizations. Of these, 58
authorizations were associated with
common carrier service. In addition, the
Commission’s licensing database
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
indicates that, as of April 16, 2010, there
were a total of 3,330 Economic Area
market area MAS authorizations. The
Commission’s licensing database also
indicates that, as of April 16, 2010, of
the 11,653 total MAS station
authorizations, 10,773 authorizations
were for private radio service. In 2001,
an auction for 5,104 MAS licenses in
176 EAs was conducted. Seven winning
bidders claimed status as small or very
small businesses and won 611 licenses.
In 2005, the Commission completed an
auction (Auction 59) of 4,226 MAS
licenses in the Fixed Microwave
Services from the 928/959 and 932/941
MHz bands. Twenty-six winning
bidders won a total of 2,323 licenses. Of
the 26 winning bidders in this auction,
five claimed small business status and
won 1,891 licenses.
41. With respect to the second
category, Internal Private Spectrum use
consists of entities that use, or seek to
use, MAS spectrum to accommodate
their own internal communications
needs, MAS serves an essential role in
a range of industrial, safety, business,
and land transportation activities. MAS
radios are used by companies of all
sizes, operating in virtually all U.S.
business categories, and by all types of
public safety entities. For the majority of
private internal users, the definition
developed by the SBA would be more
appropriate than the Commission’s
definition. The applicable definition of
small entity is the ‘‘Wireless
Telecommunications Carriers (except
satellite)’’ definition under the SBA
rules. Under that SBA category, a
business is small if it has 1,500 or fewer
employees. For this category, U.S.
Census data for 2012 show that there
were 967 firms that operated for the
entire year. Of this total, 955 firms had
employment of 999 or fewer employees
and 12 had employment of 1000
employees or more. Thus, under this
category and the associated small
business size standard, the Commission
estimates that the majority of wireless
telecommunications carriers (except
satellite) are small entities that may be
affected by our action.
42. Broadband Radio Service and
Educational Broadband Service.
Broadband Radio Service systems,
previously referred to as Multipoint
Distribution Service (MDS) and
Multichannel Multipoint Distribution
Service (MMDS) systems, and ‘‘wireless
cable,’’ transmit video programming to
subscribers and provide two-way high
speed data operations using the
microwave frequencies of the
Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and
Educational Broadband Service (EBS)
(previously referred to as the
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
Instructional Television Fixed Service
(ITFS)).
43. BRS—In connection with the 1996
BRS auction, the Commission
established a small business size
standard as an entity that had annual
average gross revenues of no more than
$40 million in the previous three
calendar years. The BRS auctions
resulted in 67 successful bidders
obtaining licensing opportunities for
493 Basic Trading Areas (BTAs). Of the
67 auction winners, 61 met the
definition of a small business. BRS also
includes licensees of stations authorized
prior to the auction. At this time, the
Commission estimates that of the 61
small business BRS auction winners, 48
remain small business licensees. In
addition to the 48 small businesses that
hold BTA authorizations, there are
approximately 392 incumbent BRS
licensees that are considered small
entities. After adding the number of
small business auction licensees to the
number of incumbent licensees not
already counted, the Commission finds
that there are currently approximately
440 BRS licensees that are defined as
small businesses under either the SBA
or the Commission’s rules.
44. In 2009, the Commission
conducted Auction 86, the sale of 78
licenses in the BRS areas. The
Commission offered three levels of
bidding credits: (i) A bidder with
attributed average annual gross revenues
that exceed $15 million and do not
exceed $40 million for the preceding
three years (small business) received a
15 percent discount on its winning bid;
(ii) a bidder with attributed average
annual gross revenues that exceed $3
million and do not exceed $15 million
for the preceding three years (very small
business) received a 25 percent discount
on its winning bid; and (iii) a bidder
with attributed average annual gross
revenues that do not exceed $3 million
for the preceding three years
(entrepreneur) received a 35 percent
discount on its winning bid. Auction 86
concluded in 2009 with the sale of 61
licenses. Of the ten winning bidders,
two bidders that claimed small business
status won 4 licenses; one bidder that
claimed very small business status won
three licenses; and two bidders that
claimed entrepreneur status won six
licenses.
45. EBS—The SBA’s Cable Television
Distribution Services small business
size standard is applicable to EBS.
There are presently 2,436 EBS licensees.
All but 100 of these licenses are held by
educational institutions. Educational
institutions are included in this analysis
as small entities. Thus, the Commission
estimates that at least 2,336 licensees
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
are small businesses. Since 2007, Cable
Television Distribution Services have
been defined within the broad economic
census category of Wired
Telecommunications Carriers. Wired
Telecommunications Carriers are
comprised of establishments primarily
engaged in operating and/or providing
access to transmission facilities and
infrastructure that they own and/or
lease for the transmission of voice, data,
text, sound, and video using wired
telecommunications networks.
Transmission facilities may be based on
a single technology or a combination of
technologies. The SBA’s small business
size standard for this category is all such
firms having 1,500 or fewer employees.
U.S. Census data for 2012 shows that
there were 3,117 firms that operated that
year. Of this total, 3,083 operated with
fewer than 1,000 employees. Thus,
under this size standard, the majority of
firms in this industry can be considered
small. To gauge small business
prevalence for these cable services,
however, the Commission must use the
most current census data for the
previous category of Cable and Other
Program Distribution and its associated
size standard which was all such firms
having $13.5 million or less in annual
receipts. According to U.S. Census
Bureau data for 2007, there were a total
of 996 firms in this category that
operated for the entire year. Of this
total, 948 firms had annual receipts of
under $10 million, and 48 firms had
receipts of $10 million or more but less
than $25 million. Thus, the majority of
these firms can be considered small.
46. Location and Monitoring Service
(LMS). LMS systems use non-voice radio
techniques to determine the location
and status of mobile radio units. For
purposes of auctioning LMS licenses,
the Commission has defined a ‘‘small
business’’ as an entity that, together
with controlling interests and affiliates,
has average annual gross revenues for
the preceding three years not to exceed
$15 million. A ‘‘very small business’’ is
defined as an entity that, together with
controlling interests and affiliates, has
average annual gross revenues for the
preceding three years not to exceed $3
million. These definitions have been
approved by the SBA. An auction for
LMS licenses commenced on February
23, 1999 and closed on March 5, 1999.
Of the 528 licenses auctioned, 289
licenses were sold to four small
businesses.
47. Television Broadcasting. This
Economic Census category ‘‘comprises
establishments primarily engaged in
broadcasting images together with
sound.’’ These establishments operate
television broadcast studios and
PO 00000
Frm 00049
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
58755
facilities for the programming and
transmission of programs to the public.
These establishments also produce or
transmit visual programming to
affiliated broadcast television stations,
which in turn broadcast the programs to
the public on a predetermined schedule.
Programming may originate in their own
studio, from an affiliated network, or
from external sources. The SBA has
created the following small business
size standard for such businesses: those
having $38.5 million or less in annual
receipts. The 2012 Economic Census
reports that 751 firms in this category
operated in that year. Of that number,
656 had annual receipts of $25,000,000
or less, 25 had annual receipts between
$25,000,000 and $49,999,999 and 70
had annual receipts of $50,000,000 or
more. Based on this data, the
Commission therefore estimates that the
majority of commercial television
broadcasters are small entities under the
applicable SBA size standard.
48. The Commission has estimated
the number of licensed commercial
television stations to be 1,384. Of this
total, 1,264 stations (or about 91
percent) had revenues of $38.5 million
or less, according to Commission staff
review of the BIA Kelsey Inc. Media
Access Pro Television Database (BIA) on
February 24, 2017, and therefore these
licensees qualify as small entities under
the SBA definition. In addition, the
Commission has estimated the number
of licensed noncommercial educational
(NCE) television stations to be 394.
Notwithstanding, the Commission does
not compile and otherwise does not
have access to information on the
revenue of NCE stations that would
permit it to determine how many such
stations would qualify as small entities.
49. The Commission notes, however,
that in assessing whether a business
concern qualifies as ‘‘small’’ under the
above definition, business (control)
affiliations must be included. Our
estimate, therefore likely overstates the
number of small entities that might be
affected by our action, because the
revenue figure on which it is based does
not include or aggregate revenues from
affiliated companies. In addition,
another element of the definition of
‘‘small business’’ requires that an entity
not be dominant in its field of operation.
The Commission is unable at this time
to define or quantify the criteria that
would establish whether a specific
television broadcast station is dominant
in its field of operation. Accordingly,
the estimate of small businesses to
which rules may apply does not exclude
any television station from the
definition of a small business on this
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
58756
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
basis and is therefore possibly overinclusive.
50. Radio Stations. This Economic
Census category ‘‘comprises
establishments primarily engaged in
broadcasting aural programs by radio to
the public. Programming may originate
in their own studio, from an affiliated
network, or from external sources.’’ The
SBA has established a small business
size standard for this category as firms
having $38.5 million or less in annual
receipts. Economic Census data for 2012
shows that 2,849 radio station firms
operated during that year. Of that
number, 2,806 operated with annual
receipts of less than $25 million per
year, 17 with annual receipts between
$25 million and $49,999,999 million
and 26 with annual receipts of $50
million or more. Therefore, based on the
SBA’s size standard the majority of such
entities are small entities.
51. According to Commission staff
review of the BIA Publications, Inc.
Master Access Radio Analyzer Database
as of June 2, 2016, about 11,386 (or
about 99.9 percent) of 11,395
commercial radio stations had revenues
of $38.5 million or less and thus qualify
as small entities under the SBA
definition. The Commission has
estimated the number of licensed
commercial radio stations to be 11,415.
The Commission notes that it has also
estimated the number of licensed NCE
radio stations to be 4,101. Nevertheless,
the Commission does not compile and
otherwise does not have access to
information on the revenue of NCE
stations that would permit it to
determine how many such stations
would qualify as small entities.
52. The Commission also notes, that
in assessing whether a business entity
qualifies as small under the above
definition, business control affiliations
must be included. The Commission’s
estimate therefore likely overstates the
number of small entities that might be
affected by its action, because the
revenue figure on which it is based does
not include or aggregate revenues from
affiliated companies. In addition, to be
determined a ‘‘small business,’’ an
entity may not be dominant in its field
of operation. Tthe Commission further
notes, that it is difficult at times to
assess these criteria in the context of
media entities, and the estimate of small
businesses to which these rules may
apply does not exclude any radio station
from the definition of a small business
on these basis, thus our estimate of
small businesses may therefore be overinclusive.
53. FM Translator Stations and Low
Power FM Stations. FM translators and
Low Power FM Stations are classified in
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
the category of Radio Stations and are
assigned the same NAICS Code as
licensees of radio stations. This U.S.
industry, Radio Stations, comprises
establishments primarily engaged in
broadcasting aural programs by radio to
the public. Programming may originate
in their own studio, from an affiliated
network, or from external sources. The
SBA has established a small business
size standard which consists of all radio
stations whose annual receipts are $38.5
million dollars or less. U.S. Census data
for 2012 indicate that 2,849 radio station
firms operated during that year. Of that
number, 2,806 operated with annual
receipts of less than $25 million per
year, 17 with annual receipts between
$25 million and $49,999,999 million
and 26 with annual receipts of $50
million or more. Based on U.S. Census
data, the Commission concludes that the
majority of FM Translator Stations and
Low Power FM Stations are small.
54. Multichannel Video Distribution
and Data Service (MVDDS). MVDDS is
a terrestrial fixed microwave service
operating in the 12.2–12.7 GHz band.
The Commission adopted criteria for
defining three groups of small
businesses for purposes of determining
their eligibility for special provisions
such as bidding credits. It defined a very
small business as an entity with average
annual gross revenues not exceeding $3
million for the preceding three years; a
small business as an entity with average
annual gross revenues not exceeding
$15 million for the preceding three
years; and an entrepreneur as an entity
with average annual gross revenues not
exceeding $40 million for the preceding
three years. These definitions were
approved by the SBA. On January 27,
2004, the Commission completed an
auction of 214 MVDDS licenses
(Auction No. 53). In this auction, ten
winning bidders won a total of 192
MVDDS licenses. Eight of the ten
winning bidders claimed small business
status and won 144 of the licenses. The
Commission also held an auction of
MVDDS licenses on December 7, 2005
(Auction 63). Of the three winning
bidders who won 22 licenses, two
winning bidders, winning 21 of the
licenses, claimed small business status.
55. Satellite Telecommunications.
This category comprises firms
‘‘primarily engaged in providing
telecommunications services to other
establishments in the
telecommunications and broadcasting
industries by forwarding and receiving
communications signals via a system of
satellites or reselling satellite
telecommunications.’’ The category has
a small business size standard of $32.5
million or less in average annual
PO 00000
Frm 00050
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
receipts, under SBA rules. For this
category, U.S. Census Bureau data for
2012 show that there were a total of 333
firms that operated for the entire year.
Of this total, 299 firms had annual
receipts of less than $25 million.
Consequently, the Commission
estimates that the majority of satellite
telecommunications providers are small
entities.
56. All Other Telecommunications.
The ‘‘All Other Telecommunications’’
category is comprised of establishments
that are primarily engaged in providing
specialized telecommunications
services, such as satellite tracking,
communications telemetry, and radar
station operation. This industry also
includes establishments primarily
engaged in providing satellite terminal
stations and associated facilities
connected with one or more terrestrial
systems and capable of transmitting
telecommunications to, and receiving
telecommunications from, satellite
systems. Establishments providing
internet services or voice over internet
protocol (VoIP) services via clientsupplied telecommunications
connections are also included in this
industry. The SBA has developed a
small business size standard for ‘‘All
Other Telecommunications,’’ which
consists of all such firms with gross
annual receipts of $32.5 million or less.
For this category, U.S. Census data for
2012 show that there were 1,442 firms
that operated for the entire year. Of
these firms, a total of 1,400 had gross
annual receipts of less than $25 million.
Thus, a majority of ‘‘All Other
Telecommunications’’ firms potentially
affected by our action can be considered
small.
57. Fixed Microwave Services.
Microwave services include common
carrier,private-operational fixed, and
broadcast auxiliary radio services. They
also include the Local Multipoint
Distribution Service (LMDS), the Digital
Electronic Message Service (DEMS), the
39 GHz Service (39 GHz), the 24 GHz
Service, and the Millimeter Wave
Service where licensees can choose
between common carrier and noncommon carrier status. The SBA nor the
Commission has defined a small
business size standard for microwave
services. For purposes of this IRFA, the
Commission will use the SBA’s
definition applicable to Wireless
Telecommunications Carriers (except
satellite)—i.e., an entity with no more
than 1,500 persons is considered small.
Under that size standard, such a
business is small if it has 1,500 or fewer
employees. U. S. Census Bureau data for
2012, show that there were 967 firms in
this category that operated for the entire
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
year. Of this total, 955 had employment
of 999 or fewer, and 12 firms had
employment of 1,000 employees or
more. Thus, under this category and the
associated small business size standard,
the Commission estimates that the
majority of wireless telecommunications
carriers (except satellite) are small
entities that may be affected by our
proposed action.
58. According to Commission data in
the Universal Licensing System (ULS) as
of September 22, 2015 there were
approximately 61,970 common carrier
fixed licensees, 62,909 private and
public safety operational-fixed
licensees, 20,349 broadcast auxiliary
radio licensees, 412 LMDS licenses, 35
DEMS licenses, 870 39 GHz licenses,
and five 24 GHz licenses, and 408
Millimeter Wave licenses in the
microwave services. The Commission
notes that the number of firms does not
necessarily track the number of
licensees. The Commission estimates
that virtually all of the Fixed Microwave
licensees (excluding broadcast auxiliary
licensees) would qualify as small
entities under the SBA definition.
59. Non-Licensee Owners of Towers
and Other Infrastructure. Although at
one time most communications towers
were owned by the licensee using the
tower to provide communications
service, many towers are now owned by
third-party businesses that do not
provide communications services
themselves but lease space on their
towers to other companies that provide
communications services. The
Commission’s rules require that any
entity, including a non-licensee,
proposing to construct a tower over 200
feet in height or within the glide slope
of an airport must register the tower
with the Commission’s Antenna
Structure Registration (‘‘ASR’’) system
and comply with applicable rules
regarding review for impact on the
environment and historic properties.
60. As of March 1, 2017, the ASR
database includes approximately
122,157 registration records reflecting a
‘‘Constructed’’ status and 13,987
registration records reflecting a
‘‘Granted, Not Constructed’’ status.
These figures include both towers
registered to licensees and towers
registered to non-licensee tower owners.
The Commission does not keep
information from which it can easily
determine how many of these towers are
registered to non-licensees or how many
non-licensees have registered towers.
Regarding towers that do not require
ASR registration, the Commission does
not collect information as to the number
of such towers in use and therefore
cannot estimate the number of tower
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
owners that would be subject to the
rules on which the Commission seeks
comment. Moreover, the SBA has not
developed a size standard for small
businesses in the category ‘‘Tower
Owners.’’ Therefore, the Commission is
unable to determine the number of nonlicensee tower owners that are small
entities. The Commission believes,
however, that when all entities owning
10 or fewer towers and leasing space for
collocation are included, non-licensee
tower owners number in the thousands,
and that nearly all of these qualify as
small businesses under the SBA’s
definition for ‘‘All Other
Telecommunications.’’ The SBA has
developed a small business size
standard for ‘‘All Other
Telecommunications,’’ which consists
of all such firms with gross annual
receipts of $32.5 million or less. For this
category, U.S. Census data for 2012
show that there were 1,442 firms that
operated for the entire year. Of these
firms, a total of 1,400 had gross annual
receipts of less than $25 million. Thus,
a majority of ‘‘All Other
Telecommunications’’ firms potentially
affected by our action can be considered
small. In addition, there may be other
non-licensee owners of other wireless
infrastructure, including Distributed
Antenna Systems (DAS) and small cells,
that might be affected by the measures
on which the Commission seeks
comment. The Commission does not
have any basis for estimating the
number of such non-licensee owners
that are small entities.
5. Description of Projected Reporting,
Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance
Requirements for Small Entities
61. The Commission is not imposing
any additional reporting or record
keeping requirements. Rather, as
discussed in the next section, the
Commission is reducing National
Historic Preservation Act compliance
burdens, including those on small
entities, by eliminating the historic
preservation review requirement for
construction of replacement utility
poles that are capable of supporting
antennas or other wireless
communications equipment and are
substantially similar to the preexisting
poles, subject to certain conditions. The
Commission is also reorganizing the
rules governing its historic preservation
review procedures by consolidating
them into a single new Rule 1.1320.
This should clarify the rules and make
compliance easier for small entities.
PO 00000
Frm 00051
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
58757
6. Steps Taken To Minimize the
Significant Economic Impact on Small
Entities, and Significant Alternatives
Considered
62. The RFA requires an agency to
describe any significant alternatives that
it has considered in reaching its
proposed approach, which may include
the following four alternatives (among
others): ‘‘(1) the establishment of
differing compliance or reporting
requirements or timetables that take into
account the resources available to small
entities; (2) the clarification,
consolidation, or simplification of
compliance and reporting requirements
under the rule for such small entities;
(3) the use of performance rather than
design standards; and (4) an exemption
from coverage of the rule, or any part
thereof, for such small entities.’’
63. This Order streamlines the process
of deploying next-generation wireless
broadband by eliminating the need for
historic preservation review for
construction of replacement utility
poles in certain circumstances. The
Commission anticipates that adoption of
this replacement pole exclusion will
provide significant efficiencies in the
deployment of such facilities,
particularly for small entities that may
not have the compliance resources and
economies of scale of larger entities,
while still avoiding adverse impacts on
historic properties. The exclusion will
also make more consistent the process
that carriers and pole construction
companies must follow to comply with
our historic preservation review
requirements and those they must
follow when building replacement poles
that are subject to the requirements of
other agencies pursuant to the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation’s
Program Comment for Communications
Projects on Federal Lands and Property.
By adopting this new exclusion, the
Commission continues to fulfill our
statutory responsibilities regarding
historic preservation, while reducing
the burden on small entities by
removing unnecessary impediments to
the rapid deployment of small cell
facilities and other wireless
infrastructure across the country.
64. Further, the Order incorporates
the new exclusion for replacement poles
into our rules in a manner that more
clearly articulates licensees’ and
applicants’ obligations not only as to
this specific issue, but more generally as
to the entire historic preservation
review process. Thus, the Commission
is reorganizing its existing regulations to
clarify the general requirements
regarding historic preservation review,
as well as to specify the contours of the
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
58758
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
new exclusion. This simpler
presentation of our requirements in the
new rule should make it easier for
licensees and applicants to understand
and comply with our historic
preservation review requirements, and
thus may expedite the completion of
such review and facilitate more
expeditious deployment of wireless
infrastructure, further reducing the
intrinsic cost and delay associated with
such deployment.
65. As discussed above, the overall
approach the Commission has taken is
to remove regulatory requirements
associated with NHPA compliance with
respect to one specified category of
undertakings and to simplify and clarify
the existing requirements applicable in
other contexts. In crafting this
regulatory relief, the Commission has
not identified any additional steps that
itcould take with respect to small
entities that could not also be applied to
all entities that construct or deploy
wireless infrastructure. While the new
exclusion for replacement utility poles
is not specifically directed at small
entities, the Commission recognizes that
our actions in the Order can potentially
decrease costs for all those subject to
NHPA obligations, including small
entities.
7. Report to Congress
66. The Commission will send a copy
of the Report and Order, including this
FRFA, in a report to be sent to Congress
pursuant to the Congressional Review
Act. In addition, the Commission will
send a copy of the Report and Order,
including this FRFA, to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA. The
Report and Order and FRFA (or
summaries thereof) also will be
published in the Federal Register.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
67. The Report and Order does not
contain new or revised information
collection requirements subject to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), Public Law 104–13. In addition,
therefore, it does not contains any
substantive new or modified
information collection burden for small
business concerns with fewer than 25
employees, pursuant to the Small
Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002,
Public Law 107–198; see 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(4).
C. Congressional Review Act
68. The Commission will send a copy
of the Report and Order in a report to
be sent to Congress and the Government
Accountability Office pursuant to the
Congressional Review Act (CRA), see 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
V. Ordering Clauses
69. Accordingly, it is ordered,
pursuant to Sections 1, 2, 4(i), 7, 201,
301, 303, and 332 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as
amended 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i), 157,
201, 301, 303, and 332, Section 102(C)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C.
4332(C), and Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as
amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108, that the
Report and Order is hereby adopted.
70. It is further ordered that the
Commission’s Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference
Information Center, shall send a copy of
the Report and Order, including the
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, to
the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the
Small Business Administration.
71. It is further ordered that part 1 of
the Commission’s rules is amended, and
that these changes shall be effective
January 16, 2018.
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 1
Communications common carriers,
Communications equipment,
Environmental protection, Historic
preservation, Radio,
Telecommunications.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
Final Rules
For the reasons discussed in the
preamble, the Federal Communications
Commission amends 47 CFR part 1 as
follows:
PART I—PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
1. The authority citation for part 1 is
revised to read as follows:
■
Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 157,
225, 303(r), 309, 1403, 1404, 1451, and 1452.
2. Section 1.1307 is amended by
revising paragraph (a)(4) to read as
follows:
■
§ 1.1307 Actions that may have a
significant environmental effect, for which
Environmental Assessments (EAs) must be
prepared.
(a) * * *
(4) Facilities that may affect districts,
sites, buildings, structures or objects,
significant in American history,
architecture, archeology, engineering or
culture, that are listed, or are eligible for
listing, in the National Register of
Historic Places (see 54 U.S.C. 300308;
36 CFR parts 60 and 800), and that are
subject to review pursuant to section
1.1320 and have been determined
through that review process to have
PO 00000
Frm 00052
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
adverse effects on identified historic
properties.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 3. Section 1.1320 is added to subpart
I to read as follows:
§ 1.1320 Review of Commission
undertakings that may affect historic
properties.
(a) Review of Commission
undertakings. Any Commission
undertaking that has the potential to
cause effects on historic properties,
unless excluded from review pursuant
to paragraph (b) of this section, shall be
subject to review under section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act,
as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108, by
applying—
(1) The procedures set forth in
regulations of the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation, 36 CFR
800.3–800.13, or
(2) If applicable, a program alternative
established pursuant to 36 CFR 800.14,
including but not limited to the
following:
(i) The Nationwide Programmatic
Agreement for the Collocation of
Wireless Antennas, as amended,
Appendix B of this part.
(ii) The Nationwide Programmatic
Agreement for Review of Effects on
Historic Properties for Certain
Undertakings, Appendix C of this part.
(iii) The Program Comment to Tailor
the Federal Communications
Commission’s Section 106 Review for
Undertakings Involving the
Construction of Positive Train Control
Wayside Poles and Infrastructure, 79 FR
30861 (May 29, 2014).
(b) Exclusions. The following
categories of undertakings are excluded
from review under this section:
(1) Projects reviewed by other
agencies. Undertakings for which an
agency other than the Commission is the
lead Federal agency pursuant to 36 CFR
800.2(a)(2).
(2) Projects subject to program
alternatives. Undertakings excluded
from review under a program alternative
established pursuant to 36 CFR 800.14,
including those listed in paragraph
(a)(2) of this section.
(3) Replacement utility poles.
Construction of a replacement for an
existing structure where all the
following criteria are satisfied:
(i) The original structure—
(A) Is a pole that can hold utility,
communications, or related
transmission lines;
(B) Was not originally erected for the
sole or primary purpose of supporting
antennas that operate pursuant to the
Commission’s spectrum license or
authorization; and
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
(C) Is not itself a historic property.
(ii) The replacement pole—
(A) Is located no more than 10 feet
away from the original pole, based on
the distance between the centerpoint of
the replacement pole and the
centerpoint of the original pole;
provided that construction of the
replacement pole in place of the original
pole entails no new ground disturbance
(either laterally or in depth) outside
previously disturbed areas, including
disturbance associated with temporary
support of utility, communications, or
related transmission lines. For purposes
of this paragraph, ‘‘ground disturbance’’
means any activity that moves,
compacts, alters, displaces, or
penetrates the ground surface of
previously undisturbed soils;
(B) Has a height that does not exceed
the height of the original pole by more
than 5 feet or 10 percent of the height
of the original pole, whichever is
greater; and
(C) Has an appearance consistent with
the quality and appearance of the
original pole.
(4) Collocations on buildings and
other non-tower structures. The
mounting of antennas (including
associated equipment such as wiring,
cabling, cabinets, or backup power) on
buildings or other non-tower structures
where the deployment meets the
following conditions:
(i) There is an existing antenna on the
building or structure;
(ii) One of the following criteria is
met:
(A) Non-Visible Antennas. The new
antenna is not visible from any adjacent
streets or surrounding public spaces and
is added in the same vicinity as a preexisting antenna;
(B) Visible Replacement Antennas.
The new antenna is visible from
adjacent streets or surrounding public
spaces, provided that
(1) It is a replacement for a preexisting antenna,
(2) The new antenna will be located
in the same vicinity as the pre-existing
antenna,
(3) The new antenna will be visible
only from adjacent streets and
surrounding public spaces that also
afford views of the pre-existing antenna,
(4) The new antenna is not more than
3 feet larger in height or width
(including all protuberances) than the
pre-existing antenna, and
(5) No new equipment cabinets are
visible from the adjacent streets or
surrounding public spaces; or
(C) Other Visible Antennas. The new
antenna is visible from adjacent streets
or surrounding public spaces, provided
that
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:57 Dec 13, 2017
Jkt 244001
(1) It is located in the same vicinity
as a pre-existing antenna,
(2) The new antenna will be visible
only from adjacent streets and
surrounding public spaces that also
afford views of the pre-existing antenna,
(3) The pre-existing antenna was not
deployed pursuant to the exclusion in
this paragraph,
(4) The new antenna is not more than
three feet larger in height or width
(including all protuberances) than the
pre-existing antenna, and
(5) No new equipment cabinets are
visible from the adjacent streets or
surrounding public spaces;
(iii) The new antenna complies with
all zoning conditions and historic
preservation conditions applicable to
existing antennas in the same vicinity
that directly mitigate or prevent effects,
such as camouflage or concealment
requirements;
(iv) The deployment of the new
antenna involves no new ground
disturbance; and
(v) The deployment would otherwise
require the preparation of an
Environmental Assessment under
1.1304(a)(4) solely because of the age of
the structure.
Note 1 to Paragraph (b)(4): A non-visible
new antenna is in the ‘‘same vicinity’’ as a
pre-existing antenna if it will be collocated
on the same rooftop, facade or other surface.
¸
A visible new antenna is in the ‘‘same
vicinity’’ as a pre-existing antenna if it is on
the same rooftop, facade, or other surface and
¸
the centerpoint of the new antenna is within
ten feet of the centerpoint of the pre-existing
antenna. A deployment causes no new
ground disturbance when the depth and
width of previous disturbance exceeds the
proposed construction depth and width by at
least two feet.
(c) Responsibilities of applicants.
Applicants seeking Commission
authorization for construction or
modification of towers, collocation of
antennas, or other undertakings shall
take the steps mandated by, and comply
with the requirements set forth in,
Appendix C of this part, sections III–X,
or any other applicable program
alternative.
(d) Definitions. For purposes of this
section, the following definitions apply:
Antenna means an apparatus
designed for the purpose of emitting
radiofrequency (RF) radiation, to be
operated or operating from a fixed
location pursuant to Commission
authorization, for the transmission of
writing, signs, signals, data, images,
pictures, and sounds of all kinds,
including the transmitting device and
any on-site equipment, switches, wiring,
cabling, power sources, shelters or
cabinets associated with that antenna
PO 00000
Frm 00053
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
58759
and added to a tower, structure, or
building as part of the original
installation of the antenna. For most
services, an antenna will be mounted on
or in, and is distinct from, a supporting
structure such as a tower, structure or
building. However, in the case of AM
broadcast stations, the entire tower or
group of towers constitutes the antenna
for that station. For purposes of this
section, the term antenna does not
include unintentional radiators, mobile
stations, or devices authorized under
part 15 of this title.
Applicant means a Commission
licensee, permittee, or registration
holder, or an applicant or prospective
applicant for a wireless or broadcast
license, authorization or antenna
structure registration, and the duly
authorized agents, employees, and
contractors of any such person or entity.
Collocation means the mounting or
installation of an antenna on an existing
tower, building or structure for the
purpose of transmitting and/or receiving
radio frequency signals for
communications purposes, whether or
not there is an existing antenna on the
structure.
Tower means any structure built for
the sole or primary purpose of
supporting Commission-licensed or
authorized antennas, including the onsite fencing, equipment, switches,
wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters,
or cabinets associated with that tower
but not installed as part of an antenna
as defined herein.
Undertaking means a project, activity,
or program funded in whole or in part
under the direct or indirect jurisdiction
of the Commission, including those
requiring a Commission permit, license
or approval. Maintenance and servicing
of towers, antennas, and associated
equipment are not deemed to be
undertakings subject to review under
this section.
[FR Doc. 2017–26940 Filed 12–13–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 25
[IB Docket No. 13–213; FCC 16–181]
Terrestrial Use of the 2473–2495 MHz
Bands for Low-Power Mobile
Broadband Networks; Amendments to
Rules for the Ancillary Terrestrial
Component of Mobile Satellite Service
Systems
Federal Communications
Commission.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM
14DER1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58749-58759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26940]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 1
[WT Docket No. 17-79; FCC 17-153]
Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers
to Infrastructure Investment
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) eliminates
historic preservation review of replacement utility poles that support
communications equipment, subject to conditions that ensure no effects
on historic properties. The Commission also consolidates historic
preservation requirements in a single new rule.
DATES: Effective January 16, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Sieradzki,
[email protected], of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
Competition & Infrastructure Policy Division, 202-418-1368.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report
and Order in WT Docket No. 17-79; FCC 17-153, adopted November 16,
2017, and released on November 17, 2017. The document is available for
download at https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/. The complete text
of this document is also available for inspection and copying during
normal business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals
II, 445 12th Street SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. To request
materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille,
large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to
[email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at
202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).
I. Streamlining the Historic Preservation Review Process
1. Enhancing the nation's wireless infrastructure is essential to
meeting the exploding demand for robust mobile services and delivering
the next generation of applications using transformative new network
technologies. Review of deployment proposals pursuant to Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 54 U.S.C. 306108,
generally serves the public policy objective of preserving the nation's
historic heritage. Not all infrastructure deployments, however, have
the potential to affect historic properties. Where such potential
effects do not exist, requiring an individual historic preservation
review can impose needless burdens and slow infrastructure deployment.
2. Section 106 of the NHPA, 54 U.S.C. 306108, requires federal
agencies to take into account the effect (if any) of their proposed
undertakings on historic properties before proceeding with such
undertakings. Agencies are responsible for deciding whether or not
particular types of activities qualify as undertakings under the
definitions in the regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation (ACHP). See 36 CFR 800.3(a), 800.16(y). Where an agency
determines that a type of activity has no potential to affect historic
properties under any circumstances, the agency may unilaterally
eliminate the review process for such undertakings. 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1).
3. In 2004, the Commission, the ACHP, and the National Conference
of State Historic Preservation Officers agreed to the establishment of
the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Review of Effects on Historic
Properties for Certain Undertakings 2004 NPA). 47 CFR part 1. Of
particular relevance here, the 2004 NPA excludes the construction of
replacement structures from historic preservation review under defined
conditions, but only if the structure being replaced meets the
definition of a ``tower,'' meaning that it was constructed for the sole
or primary purpose of supporting Commission-authorized antennas. See 47
CFR part 1, Appendix C, section III.B. A structure that does not
qualify as a tower, such as a pole that initially was erected to
support electric utility lines, does not fall within the exclusion
under the 2004 NPA even if it is later used to support Commission-
authorized antennas. Consequently, if such a pole must be replaced to
support a communications antenna and no other exclusion applies, the
pole replacement is subject to review.
4. In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the present proceeding,
the Commission initiated a broad examination of the regulatory
impediments to wireless network infrastructure investment and
deployment, and how we may remove or reduce such impediments,
consistent with the law and the public interest, in order to promote
the rapid deployment of advanced wireless broadband service to all
Americans. See Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing
Barriers to Infrastructure Deployment, 32 FCC Rcd 3330 (2017) (2017
Wireless Infrastructure NPRM) ; see also Proposed Rule, 82 FR 21761
(May 10, 2017). The Commission specifically sought comment on whether
to expand the categories of undertakings that are excluded from
historic preservation review to include pole replacements, and whether
such a step would facilitate wireless facility siting while creating no
or foreseeably minimal potential for adverse impacts to historic
properties. The Commission asked whether the construction of
replacement poles should be excluded from Section 106 review, provided
that the replacement pole is not substantially larger than the pole it
is replacing, and solicited input on whether any additional conditions
would be appropriate.
[[Page 58750]]
II. Exclusion for Pole Replacements That Have No Potential To Affect
Historic Properties
5. Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1), the Commission concludes that,
in the circumstances specified below, replacement of a pole that was
constructed with a sole or primary purpose other than supporting
communications antennas with a pole that will support such antennas
would have no potential to affect historic properties. The Commission
therefore revises its rules to provide that the construction of such
replacement poles will be excluded from Section 106 review when all the
following conditions are met. First, paragraph (b)(3)(i) of the new
rule provides that this new exclusion applies only if the original
structure is a pole that can hold utility, communications, or related
transmission lines; was not originally erected for the sole or primary
purpose of supporting antennas that operate pursuant to a spectrum
license or authorization issued by the Commission; and is not itself a
historic property.
6. In addition, paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A) specifies that, to qualify
for this new exclusion, the replacement pole must be located no more
than 10 feet away from the original pole, based on the distance between
the centerpoint of the replacement pole and the centerpoint of the
original pole; provided that construction of the replacement pole in
place of the original pole entails no new ground disturbance (either
laterally or in depth) outside previously disturbed areas, including
disturbance associated with temporary support of utility,
communications, or related transmission lines. For purposes of
paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A), ``ground disturbance'' means any activity that
moves, compacts, alters, displaces, or penetrates the ground surface of
previously undisturbed soils.
7. Moreover, paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(B) of the new rule provides that
a replacement pole qualifies for this exclusion only if its height does
not exceed the height of the original pole by more than 5 feet or 10
percent of the height of the original pole, whichever is greater.
Paragraph (c)(ii)(C) establishes that the appearance of such a
replacement pole must be consistent with the quality and appearance of
the original pole. Notably, antennas separately deployed on a
replacement pole that is exempted under the rule adopted here remain
subject to existing historic preservation rules about antenna
deployments, including the exemptions for equipment that is limited in
size set forth in 47 CFR part 1, sections VI.A.5, VII.B.2 & 3.
8. The Commission concludes that, where all of these conditions are
met, the construction of a replacement utility pole--i.e., a new pole
in place of a preexisting pole that is being removed--will have no
potential to affect historic properties (even assuming such properties
are present), regardless of whether the original pole was built for the
purpose of supporting communications equipment. The Commission further
concludes that excluding such replacements from historic preservation
review advances the public interest. The Commission has authority to
take this step pursuant to 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1), which authorizes
agencies to exclude undertakings that have no potential to affect
historic properties from historic preservation review. Notably, for
present purposes, the Commission does not revisit its treatment of the
construction of wireless communications structures, including
replacement structures, as Commission undertakings.
9. The Commission anticipates that adoption of this exclusion will
provide significant efficiencies in the deployment of replacement
facilities. The record indicates that pole replacements are often
required to support small cell facilities, which increasingly will be
needed to support the rollout of next-generation services. Small cell
antennas are much smaller and less obtrusive than traditional antennas
mounted on macro cell towers, but a far larger number of them will be
needed to accomplish the network densification that providers need,
both in order to satisfy the exploding consumer demand for wireless
data for existing services and in order to implement advanced
technologies such as 5G. We find that excluding the pole replacements
at issue here from review under section 106 of the NHPA will allow
providers to complete these deployments more efficiently. In addition,
creating an exclusion for replacement of utility poles will make more
consistent the process that carriers and pole constructors must follow
to comply with our historic preservation review requirements and those
they must follow when building replacement poles that are subject to
the requirements of other agencies applying the ACHP's 2017 Federal
Lands Program Comment. See Advisory Council on Historic Preservation,
Notice of Issuance of Program Comment for Communications Projects on
Federal Lands and Property, 82 FR 23818 (May 24, 2017) (Federal Lands
Program Comment).
10. In implementing large-scale network densification projects that
require deployment of large numbers of facilities within a relatively
brief period of time, use of existing structures, where feasible, can
both promote efficiency and avoid adverse impacts on the human
environment. Utility poles may be an appealing option for such
deployments, since they often are the appropriate height for small cell
antennas and are ubiquitous in many metropolitan areas. When existing
utility poles cannot support additional equipment, however, pole
replacement is required. Wooden utility poles, in particular,
frequently need to be replaced because of their age and condition. For
example, over time, wooden poles typically begin to rot from the top,
where additional antennas associated with small cell facilities are
usually attached, and frequently need to be replaced to have sufficient
strength to support additional attachments. A pole also may need to be
replaced if it is not sturdy enough or if it lacks sufficient space to
mount new small cell antennas above utility infrastructure already
installed on the pole, such as electric cables, telephone lines, cable
television wires, or other equipment.
11. Replacement poles placed in essentially the same previously
disturbed locations as the original structures will be sturdier than
the preexisting poles, but will not necessarily be substantially taller
or occupy appreciably more space on or in the ground than the original
poles. In those circumstances, there is no likelihood that such pole
replacements could affect historic properties. Nonetheless, under
current rules, only replacements for poles meeting the definition of a
``tower'' are excluded from Section 106 review while other types of
pole replacements continue to require review. See 47 CFR part 1,
section III.B. The Commission finds, consistent with some parties'
comments, that there is no valid reason to continue distinguishing
between poles based on the purpose for which they were originally
constructed, because the statutory test is whether a federal
undertaking has a potential effect on historic properties, and is not
based on the prior uses of a particular structure. The Commission also
finds that adopting an exclusion for replacement utility poles will
promote greater consistency by providing similar treatment for similar
replacement structures. The Commission expects that creating an
additional exclusion for pole replacements will encourage providers to
replace existing poles in previously
[[Page 58751]]
disturbed areas rather than undertaking new construction activity that
potentially could affect historic properties.
12. The Commission limits the replacement pole exclusion, as
discussed below, to ensure that such pole replacements have no
potential to affect historic properties. These limitations address the
concerns raised by some parties about the potential effect of a broad,
unlimited exclusion for replacement poles and ensure that the exclusion
established in this rule satisfies the strict standard in the ACHP's
rules. In adopting these conditions, we rely on, and incorporate, the
Commission's and the ACHP's analyses in support of recent similar
exclusions, including the exclusion of utility pole replacements in
section VIII.B of the ACHP's 2017 Federal Lands Program Comment.
13. The new exclusion established here focuses only on utility pole
replacements. Accordingly, paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of the rule describes
the new exclusion using terminology consistent with that in section
III.O of the Federal Lands Program Comment by referring to poles that
``can hold utility, communications, or related transmission lines.''
Notably, section III.O of the Federal Lands Program Comment defines a
``pole'' as ``a non-tower structure that can hold utility,
communications, and related transmission lines;'' paragraph
(b)(3)(i)(A) of the Commission's new rule is similar, but uses the word
``or'' instead of the word ``and,'' in order to clarify that this
replacement pole exclusion extends to replacements where the original
poles are capable of supporting any of the listed types of facilities,
not necessarily all of them.
14. Paragraph (b)(3)(i)(B) makes clear that replacements for
structures that section III.B of the 2004 NPA defines as ``towers,''
since that program alternative already sets forth the conditions under
which replacement of towers will be excluded from review. See 47 CFR
part 1, section III.B. And paragraph (b)(3)(i)(C) of the new rule makes
clear that the construction of new poles to replace existing poles that
themselves qualify as historic structures are not excluded from review.
15. The new rule's limitations regarding location, size, quality,
and appearance of replacement poles address the concerns raised by some
Tribal Nations, State Historic Preservation Officers, and preservation
advocates. Consistent with commenters' concerns, the Commission finds
that excluding replacement poles that are substantially larger than or
that differ in other material ways from the poles being replaced might
compromise the integrity of historic properties and districts. The
Commission therefore excludes from historic preservation review only
those replacement poles that are situated no more than ten feet away
from the original hole; are no more than 10 percent or five feet taller
than the original pole, whichever is greater; and are consistent with
the quality and appearance of the original pole.
16. The provision limiting the exclusion to a new pole located no
more than 10 feet from the original structure ensures that the new pole
is truly a ``replacement'' and that the replacement will not
substantially alter the setting of any historic properties that may be
nearby. The Commission finds that the minimal change in location
permitted here, which will make pole replacements easier to construct
as a practical matter, creates no risk of effects on historic
properties in light of the fact that no new ground disturbance will be
permitted. Moreover, the Commission finds that the deployment of a
replacement pole no more than 10 feet from the original pole has no
potential to cause effects on historic properties that might be
present, because of the close proximity to the original pole and the de
minimis size increase permissible to fall into this exception. The
Commission cannot reach the same conclusion, however, with regard to
replacement poles placed a considerable distance (e.g., 30 feet) away
from the originals.
17. For purposes of this new exclusion, we use a size definition
that differs from the definition of ``substantial increase in the size
of the tower'' in 47 CFR part 1, section 1.E.1 and in 47 CFR part 1,
sections III.A and III.B, because that definition allows for increasing
the height by either 10 percent or 20 feet plus the height of an
antenna array, whichever is greater. Utility poles are typically 25 to
40 feet tall, and we find that an increase in height limited to 10
percent or five feet would be de minimis and thus would have no
potential to affect historic properties. The flexibility of the five
foot alternative addresses concerns expressed in the record that
manufacturers typically offer standard utility poles in five-foot
increments, and that a height increase of less than five feet often may
be insufficient to accommodate new antennas or other equipment on a
pole while maintaining the necessary separation from preexisting
infrastructure on the pole.
18. The Commission cannot reach the same conclusion as to a height
increase of 20 feet or more, however, because it cannot conclude at
this time that a replacement pole that is so much taller than the
preexisting structure would have no potential for effects on any
historic properties that may be nearby, as is required under 36 CFR
800.3(a)(1) for an agency to act unilaterally. On the other hand, the
Commission disagrees with the contention raised by some parties that
allowing even small increases in height without historic preservation
review ultimately could have effects due to the possibility that
multiple incremental replacements over time eventually would result in
significantly larger poles. The Commission does not find this
speculative concern persuasive: it is aware of no evidence of such
repeated ``stacked'' replacements of utility poles occurring under
existing program alternatives, and it believes the likelihood such
activities will occur in the future is remote due to the substantial
cost of removing and replacing poles.
19. The phrase ``consistent with the quality and appearance of the
originals'' in paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(C) is imported from the
corresponding exclusion in section VIII.B.3 of the Federal Lands
Program Comment, to ensure that there can be no visual effects on any
nearby historic properties. The Commission notes that a change in
materials, such as replacing a wooden pole with a metal pole, is
permissible so long as this standard is met.
20. The Commission adopts an additional limitation as part of
paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A) of the rule to ensure that the pole replacement
project--including the removal of the original pole as well as
construction of the replacement pole--will entail no new ground
disturbance. This limitation recognizes that construction-related
ground disturbance or excavation may affect properties that are
historic due to the presence of archeological resources, including
those of cultural or religious significance to a Tribal Nation or
Native Hawaiian organization, which are included within the definition
of historic property in 36 CFR 800.16(l)(1). The limitation on new
ground disturbance outside previously disturbed areas, including
disturbance associated with temporary support of lines, as well as the
definition of ``ground disturbance'' as ``any activity that moves,
compacts, alters, displaces, or penetrates the ground surface of
previously undisturbed soils,'' are taken directly from section III.I
of the Federal Lands Program Comment. The rule also specifies that the
limitation on ground disturbance in previously undisturbed
[[Page 58752]]
areas applies to increases in both depth and lateral disturbance.
21. The Commission continues to require that if, after construction
commences, the party discovers any human or burial remains or other
historic properties (despite the previous ground disturbance),
construction must cease immediately, and the party must promptly notify
and consult with the Commission, the State Historic Preservation
Officer/Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and any affected Tribal
Nation or Native Hawaiian organization to evaluate the discovery and
develop any appropriate measures to handle it. See 47 CFR part 1,
section IX.A-D. Human or burial remains also must be handled in a
manner consistent with any applicable State or Federal laws. Id.,
section IX.D.
22. All the conditions described above must be satisfied in order
for a replacement pole to be excluded from historic preservation
review. The Commission concludes that, taken together, these provisions
will ensure protection for historic properties and guard against
replacements that would be out of scale with preexisting utility poles
in a particular area. By adopting this new exclusion subject to these
limitations, the Commission continues to fulfill its statutory
responsibilities regarding historic preservation, while removing an
unnecessary impediment to the rapid deployment of sorely needed small
cell facilities and other wireless infrastructure across the country.
III. Conforming Amendments and Reorganization of Historic Preservation
Rules
23. In this order, the Commission also reorganizes existing
historic preservation regulations into a single rule section that will
be clearer, more accessible, and easier to understand. Section
1.1307(a)(4) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1307(a)(4), previously
commingled detailed provisions implementing the historic preservation
review process under section 106 of the NHPA with the provisions
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, 45 U.S.C. 4321-
4355. To provide more clarity, the Commission is moving the historic
preservation review provisions into a new rule, 47 CFR 1.1320, that
more clearly sets forth the existing requirements governing that
historic preservation review process; and within that rule, the
Commission adopts a paragraph (b)(3) establishing the replacement
utility pole exclusion described above.
24. The Commission finds that notice and comment are unnecessary
and that it has good cause to make these clarifying revisions without
expressly seeking comment on them. Except for paragraph (b)(3)'s
addition of a pole replacement exclusion, new section 1.1320 makes no
substantive changes to the existing requirements implementing the
historic preservation review process under section 106 of the NHPA and
adds no new obligations, but merely simplifies the way the Commission's
regulations describe them by collecting existing requirements in one
place and organizing them in a more straightforward fashion. Moreover,
the delay engendered by a round of comment would be contrary to the
public interest. The simpler presentation of our requirements in the
new rule should make it easier for licensees and applicants to
understand and comply with our historic preservation review
requirements, and thus may expedite the completion of such review, thus
facilitating more expeditious deployment of wireless infrastructure.
25. Paragraph (a) of the new rule incorporates into the
Commission's rules the existing provisions in the ACHP's regulations
(see, e.g., 36 CFR 800.1(a), 800.2(a), and 800.16(b) & (y))
establishing that all federal agencies' undertakings with the potential
to cause effects on historic properties are subject to review under
Section 106 of the NHPA. There was no corresponding provision in the
Commission's preexisting rules. At the same time, the Commission amends
47 CFR 1.1307(a)(4) to clarify that section 1.1320, as well as Section
106 of the NHPA, identify the historic preservation factors relevant to
whether applicants must prepare environmental assessments of proposed
actions.
26. Paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of the new section 1.1320 clarify
the procedures that apply to historic preservation review of categories
of undertakings. Paragraph (a)(1) clarifies that the ACHP's regulations
(36 CFR 800.3-800.13) establish the default procedures that generally
apply to Commission undertakings, unless the undertakings are subject
to one of the Commission's program alternatives, such as those listed
in paragraph (a)(2), in which case they are reviewed using the
procedures described in the applicable program alternative.
27. Paragraph (b) of the new rule lists Commission undertakings
that are not subject to any FCC historic preservation review process.
Paragraph (b)(1) refers to undertakings for which an agency other than
the Commission is the lead Federal agency that is primarily responsible
for historic preservation review. Paragraph (b)(2) recognizes that the
Commission's program alternatives not only establish streamlined
procedures but also exempt some categories of undertakings from review.
Paragraph (b)(3) of the new rule sets forth the new utility pole
replacement exclusion adopted in this order, and paragraph (b)(4) of
the new rule is identical to paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of section 1.1307 of
the preexisting rules, setting forth the exclusion for the collocation
of antennas and related equipment on buildings other than towers or
utility poles. Paragraph (c) of the new rule provides that Commission
applicants and licensees are responsible for compliance with the
historic preservation review procedures established in 47 CFR part 1,
sections III-X. Paragraph (d) adopts definitions of the terms
``antenna,'' ``applicant,'' ``collocation,'' ``tower,'' and
``undertaking'' based on the preexisting definitions of these terms set
forth, respectively, in 47 CFR part 1, section I.A; 47 CFR part 1,
sections II.A.2, II.A.4, and II.A 14; and 36 CFR 800.16(y).
IV. Procedural Matters
A. Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
28. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as
amended (RFA), an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was
incorporated in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The
Commission sought written public comment on the proposals in the NPRM,
including comment on the IRFA. This present Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) conforms to the RFA.
1. Need for and Objectives of the Rules
29. In the Order, the Commission adopts rules that streamline the
process of deploying next-generation wireless broadband infrastructure
by eliminating the need for historic preservation review pursuant to
the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in certain instances
where there is no potential effect on historic properties.
Specifically, the Commission finds that the construction of poles that
can support antennas or other wireless communications equipment to
replace pre-existing utility poles that are substantially identical,
under specified conditions, has no potential to affect historic
properties, and therefore, the historical preservation review process
is unnecessary in this context. This order also reorganizes the rules
governing the Commission's historic preservation
[[Page 58753]]
review procedures by bringing together provisions that previously were
scattered across a variety of locations into a single new Rule 1.1320,
which clearly sets forth the existing requirements but, with the
exception of the new exclusion for replacement utility poles, does not
modify them.
2. Summary of Significant Issues Raised by Public Comments in Response
to the IRFA
30. No parties filed comments that specifically addressed the rules
and policies proposed in the IRFA. One party--the Smart Cities and
Special Districts Coalition--filed comments arguing that some small
local governments, special districts, property owners, or small
developers might be harmed if the Commission were to adopt certain
policy changes discussed in the NPRM relating to (i) batches of zoning
applications filed with state or local governments, (ii) the maximum
reasonable time for state or local governments to process zoning
applications (``shot clock'' rules and ``deemed granted'' remedies), or
(iii) limitations on proprietary properties or regulation of their use.
The present order does not deal with any of the issues in the NPRM that
the Smart Cities and Special Districts Coalition addressed in the cited
portions of its comments. The Commission will address these comments
when it acts on the relevant issues in a future order.
3. Response to Comments by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration
31. Pursuant to the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, the Commission
is required to respond to any comments filed by the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration (SBA), and to provide a
detailed statement of any change made to the proposed rules as a result
of those comments. The Chief Counsel did not file any comments in
response to the proposed rules in this proceeding.
4. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to Which
the Rules Will Apply
32. The RFA directs agencies to provide a description of, and where
feasible, an estimate of the number of small entities that may be
affected by the rules adopted herein The RFA generally defines the term
``small entity'' as having the same meaning as the terms ``small
business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small governmental
jurisdiction.'' In addition, the term ``small business'' has the same
meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the Small Business
Act. A ``small business concern'' is one which: (1) Is independently
owned and operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of operation; and
(3) satisfies any additional criteria established by the Small Business
Administration (SBA). Below, the Commission provides a description of
such small entities, as well as an estimate of the number of such small
entities, where feasible.
33. Small Businesses, Small Organizations, Small Governmental
Jurisdictions. Our actions, over time, may affect small entities that
are not easily categorized at present. The Commission therefore
describes here, at the outset, three comprehensive small entity size
standards that could be directly affected herein. First, while there
are industry specific size standards for small businesses that are used
in the regulatory flexibility analysis, according to data from the
SBA's Office of Advocacy, in general a small business is an independent
business having fewer than 500 employees. These types of small
businesses represent 99.9% of all businesses in the United States which
translates to 28.8 million businesses. Next, the type of small entity
described as a ``small organization'' is generally ``any not-for-profit
enterprise which is independently owned and operated and is not
dominant in its field.'' Nationwide, as of 2007, there were
approximately 1,621,215 small organizations. Finally, the small entity
described as a ``small governmental jurisdiction'' is defined generally
as ``governments of cities, towns, townships, villages, school
districts, or special districts, with a population of less than fifty
thousand.'' U.S. Census Bureau data published in 2012 indicate that
there were 89,476 local governmental jurisdictions in the United
States. The Commission estimates that, of this total, as many as 88,761
entities may qualify as ``small governmental jurisdictions.'' Thus, the
Commission estimates that most governmental jurisdictions are small.
34. Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite). This
industry comprises establishments engaged in operating and maintaining
switching and transmission facilities to provide communications via the
airwaves. Establishments in this industry have spectrum licenses and
provide services using that spectrum, such as cellular services, paging
services, wireless internet access, and wireless video services. The
appropriate size standard under SBA rules is that such a business is
small if it has 1,500 or fewer employees. For this industry, U.S.
Census data for 2012 show that there were 967 firms that operated for
the entire year. Of this total, 955 firms had employment of 999 or
fewer employees and 12 had employment of 1000 employees or more. Thus,
under this category and the associated size standard, the Commission
estimates that the majority of wireless telecommunications carriers
(except satellite) are small entities.
35. The Commission's own data--available in its Universal Licensing
System--indicate that, as of October 25, 2016, there are 280 Cellular
licensees that will be affected by our actions today. The Commission
does not know how many of these licensees are small, as the Commission
does not collect that information for these types of entities.
Similarly, according to Commission data, 413 carriers reported that
they were engaged in the provision of wireless telephony, including
cellular service, Personal Communications Service (PCS), and
Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) Telephony services. Of this total, an
estimated 261 have 1,500 or fewer employees and 152 have more than
1,500 employees. Thus, using available data, the Commission estimates
that the majority of wireless firms can be considered small.
36. Personal Radio Services. Personal radio services provide short-
range, low-power radio for personal communications, radio signaling,
and business communications not provided for in other services.
Personal radio services include services operating in spectrum licensed
under part 95 of our rules. These services include Citizen Band Radio
Service, General Mobile Radio Service, Radio Control Radio Service,
Family Radio Service, Wireless Medical Telemetry Service, Medical
Implant Communications Service, Low Power Radio Service, and Multi-Use
Radio Service. There are a variety of methods used to license the
spectrum in these rule parts, from licensing by rule, to conditioning
operation on successful completion of a required test, to site-based
licensing, to geographic area licensing. All such entities in this
category are wireless, therefore the Commission applies the definition
of Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite), pursuant to
which the SBA's small entity size standard is defined as those entities
employing 1,500 or fewer persons. For this industry, U.S. Census data
for 2012 show that there were 967 firms that operated for the entire
year. Of this total, 955 firms had employment of 999 or fewer employees
and 12 had employment of 1000 employees or more. Thus, under this
category and the
[[Page 58754]]
associated size standard, the Commission estimates that the majority of
wireless telecommunications carriers (except satellite) are small
entities. The Commission notes that many of the licensees in this
category are individuals and not small entities. In addition, due to
the mostly unlicensed and shared nature of the spectrum utilized in
many of these services, the Commission lacks direct information upon
which to base an estimation of the number of small entities that may be
affected by our actions in this proceeding.
37. Public Safety Radio Licensees. Public Safety Radio Pool
licensees as a general matter, include police, fire, local government,
forestry conservation, highway maintenance, and emergency medical
services. Because of the vast array of public safety licensees, the
Commission has not developed a small business size standard
specifically applicable to public safety licensees. For this category
the Commission applies the SBA's definition for Wireless
Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) which encompasses
business entities engaged in radiotelephone communications and for
which the small entity size standard is defined as those entities
employing 1,500 or fewer persons. For this industry, U.S. Census data
for 2012 show that there were 967 firms that operated for the entire
year. Of this total, 955 firms had employment of 999 or fewer employees
and 12 had employment of 1000 employees or more. Thus, under this
category and the associated size standard, the Commission estimates
that the majority of wireless telecommunications carriers (except
satellite) are small entities. With respect to local governments, in
particular, since many governmental entities comprise the licensees for
these services, the Commission includes under public safety services
the number of government entities affected. According to Commission
records, there are a total of approximately 133,870 licenses within
these services. There are 3,121 licenses in the 4.9 GHz band, based on
an FCC Universal Licensing System search of March 29, 2017. The
Commission estimates that fewer than 2,442 public safety radio
licensees hold these licenses because certain entities may have
multiple licenses.
38. Private Land Mobile Radio Licensees. Private land mobile radio
(PLMR) systems serve an essential role in a vast range of industrial,
business, land transportation, and public safety activities. These
radios are used by companies of all sizes operating in all U.S.
business categories. Because of the vast array of PLMR users, the
Commission has not developed a small business size standard
specifically applicable to PLMR users. The SBA's definition for
Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) which
encompasses business entities engaged in radiotelephone communications
and for which the small entity size standard is defined as those
entities employing 1,500 or fewer persons. For this industry, U.S.
Census data for 2012 show that there were 967 firms that operated for
the entire year. Of this total, 955 firms had employment of 999 or
fewer employees and 12 had employment of 1000 employees or more. Thus,
under this category and the associated size standard, the Commission
estimates that the majority of wireless telecommunications carriers
(except satellite) are small entities. According to the Commission's
records, there are a total of 3,374 licenses in the frequencies range
173.225 MHz to 173.375 MHz, which is the range affected by this Notice.
The Commission does not require PLMR licensees to disclose information
about number of employees, and does not have information that could be
used to determine how many PLMR licensees constitute small entities
under this definition. The Commission however believes that a
substantial number of PLMR licensees may be small entities despite the
lack of specific information.
39. Multiple Address Systems. Entities using Multiple Address
Systems (MAS) spectrum, in general, fall into two categories: (1) Those
using the spectrum for profit-based uses, and (2) those using the
spectrum for private internal uses.
40. With respect to the first category, Profit-based Spectrum use,
the size standards established by the Commission define ``small
entity'' for MAS licensees as an entity that has average annual gross
revenues of less than $15 million over the three previous calendar
years. A ``Very small business'' is defined as an entity that, together
with its affiliates, has average annual gross revenues of not more than
$3 million over the preceding three calendar years. The SBA has
approved these definitions. The majority of MAS operators are licensed
in bands where the Commission has implemented a geographic area
licensing approach that requires the use of competitive bidding
procedures to resolve mutually exclusive applications. The Commission's
licensing database indicates that, as of April 16, 2010, there were a
total of 11,653 site-based MAS station authorizations. Of these, 58
authorizations were associated with common carrier service. In
addition, the Commission's licensing database indicates that, as of
April 16, 2010, there were a total of 3,330 Economic Area market area
MAS authorizations. The Commission's licensing database also indicates
that, as of April 16, 2010, of the 11,653 total MAS station
authorizations, 10,773 authorizations were for private radio service.
In 2001, an auction for 5,104 MAS licenses in 176 EAs was conducted.
Seven winning bidders claimed status as small or very small businesses
and won 611 licenses. In 2005, the Commission completed an auction
(Auction 59) of 4,226 MAS licenses in the Fixed Microwave Services from
the 928/959 and 932/941 MHz bands. Twenty-six winning bidders won a
total of 2,323 licenses. Of the 26 winning bidders in this auction,
five claimed small business status and won 1,891 licenses.
41. With respect to the second category, Internal Private Spectrum
use consists of entities that use, or seek to use, MAS spectrum to
accommodate their own internal communications needs, MAS serves an
essential role in a range of industrial, safety, business, and land
transportation activities. MAS radios are used by companies of all
sizes, operating in virtually all U.S. business categories, and by all
types of public safety entities. For the majority of private internal
users, the definition developed by the SBA would be more appropriate
than the Commission's definition. The applicable definition of small
entity is the ``Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except
satellite)'' definition under the SBA rules. Under that SBA category, a
business is small if it has 1,500 or fewer employees. For this
category, U.S. Census data for 2012 show that there were 967 firms that
operated for the entire year. Of this total, 955 firms had employment
of 999 or fewer employees and 12 had employment of 1000 employees or
more. Thus, under this category and the associated small business size
standard, the Commission estimates that the majority of wireless
telecommunications carriers (except satellite) are small entities that
may be affected by our action.
42. Broadband Radio Service and Educational Broadband Service.
Broadband Radio Service systems, previously referred to as Multipoint
Distribution Service (MDS) and Multichannel Multipoint Distribution
Service (MMDS) systems, and ``wireless cable,'' transmit video
programming to subscribers and provide two-way high speed data
operations using the microwave frequencies of the Broadband Radio
Service (BRS) and Educational Broadband Service (EBS) (previously
referred to as the
[[Page 58755]]
Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS)).
43. BRS--In connection with the 1996 BRS auction, the Commission
established a small business size standard as an entity that had annual
average gross revenues of no more than $40 million in the previous
three calendar years. The BRS auctions resulted in 67 successful
bidders obtaining licensing opportunities for 493 Basic Trading Areas
(BTAs). Of the 67 auction winners, 61 met the definition of a small
business. BRS also includes licensees of stations authorized prior to
the auction. At this time, the Commission estimates that of the 61
small business BRS auction winners, 48 remain small business licensees.
In addition to the 48 small businesses that hold BTA authorizations,
there are approximately 392 incumbent BRS licensees that are considered
small entities. After adding the number of small business auction
licensees to the number of incumbent licensees not already counted, the
Commission finds that there are currently approximately 440 BRS
licensees that are defined as small businesses under either the SBA or
the Commission's rules.
44. In 2009, the Commission conducted Auction 86, the sale of 78
licenses in the BRS areas. The Commission offered three levels of
bidding credits: (i) A bidder with attributed average annual gross
revenues that exceed $15 million and do not exceed $40 million for the
preceding three years (small business) received a 15 percent discount
on its winning bid; (ii) a bidder with attributed average annual gross
revenues that exceed $3 million and do not exceed $15 million for the
preceding three years (very small business) received a 25 percent
discount on its winning bid; and (iii) a bidder with attributed average
annual gross revenues that do not exceed $3 million for the preceding
three years (entrepreneur) received a 35 percent discount on its
winning bid. Auction 86 concluded in 2009 with the sale of 61 licenses.
Of the ten winning bidders, two bidders that claimed small business
status won 4 licenses; one bidder that claimed very small business
status won three licenses; and two bidders that claimed entrepreneur
status won six licenses.
45. EBS--The SBA's Cable Television Distribution Services small
business size standard is applicable to EBS. There are presently 2,436
EBS licensees. All but 100 of these licenses are held by educational
institutions. Educational institutions are included in this analysis as
small entities. Thus, the Commission estimates that at least 2,336
licensees are small businesses. Since 2007, Cable Television
Distribution Services have been defined within the broad economic
census category of Wired Telecommunications Carriers. Wired
Telecommunications Carriers are comprised of establishments primarily
engaged in operating and/or providing access to transmission facilities
and infrastructure that they own and/or lease for the transmission of
voice, data, text, sound, and video using wired telecommunications
networks. Transmission facilities may be based on a single technology
or a combination of technologies. The SBA's small business size
standard for this category is all such firms having 1,500 or fewer
employees. U.S. Census data for 2012 shows that there were 3,117 firms
that operated that year. Of this total, 3,083 operated with fewer than
1,000 employees. Thus, under this size standard, the majority of firms
in this industry can be considered small. To gauge small business
prevalence for these cable services, however, the Commission must use
the most current census data for the previous category of Cable and
Other Program Distribution and its associated size standard which was
all such firms having $13.5 million or less in annual receipts.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data for 2007, there were a total of
996 firms in this category that operated for the entire year. Of this
total, 948 firms had annual receipts of under $10 million, and 48 firms
had receipts of $10 million or more but less than $25 million. Thus,
the majority of these firms can be considered small.
46. Location and Monitoring Service (LMS). LMS systems use non-
voice radio techniques to determine the location and status of mobile
radio units. For purposes of auctioning LMS licenses, the Commission
has defined a ``small business'' as an entity that, together with
controlling interests and affiliates, has average annual gross revenues
for the preceding three years not to exceed $15 million. A ``very small
business'' is defined as an entity that, together with controlling
interests and affiliates, has average annual gross revenues for the
preceding three years not to exceed $3 million. These definitions have
been approved by the SBA. An auction for LMS licenses commenced on
February 23, 1999 and closed on March 5, 1999. Of the 528 licenses
auctioned, 289 licenses were sold to four small businesses.
47. Television Broadcasting. This Economic Census category
``comprises establishments primarily engaged in broadcasting images
together with sound.'' These establishments operate television
broadcast studios and facilities for the programming and transmission
of programs to the public. These establishments also produce or
transmit visual programming to affiliated broadcast television
stations, which in turn broadcast the programs to the public on a
predetermined schedule. Programming may originate in their own studio,
from an affiliated network, or from external sources. The SBA has
created the following small business size standard for such businesses:
those having $38.5 million or less in annual receipts. The 2012
Economic Census reports that 751 firms in this category operated in
that year. Of that number, 656 had annual receipts of $25,000,000 or
less, 25 had annual receipts between $25,000,000 and $49,999,999 and 70
had annual receipts of $50,000,000 or more. Based on this data, the
Commission therefore estimates that the majority of commercial
television broadcasters are small entities under the applicable SBA
size standard.
48. The Commission has estimated the number of licensed commercial
television stations to be 1,384. Of this total, 1,264 stations (or
about 91 percent) had revenues of $38.5 million or less, according to
Commission staff review of the BIA Kelsey Inc. Media Access Pro
Television Database (BIA) on February 24, 2017, and therefore these
licensees qualify as small entities under the SBA definition. In
addition, the Commission has estimated the number of licensed
noncommercial educational (NCE) television stations to be 394.
Notwithstanding, the Commission does not compile and otherwise does not
have access to information on the revenue of NCE stations that would
permit it to determine how many such stations would qualify as small
entities.
49. The Commission notes, however, that in assessing whether a
business concern qualifies as ``small'' under the above definition,
business (control) affiliations must be included. Our estimate,
therefore likely overstates the number of small entities that might be
affected by our action, because the revenue figure on which it is based
does not include or aggregate revenues from affiliated companies. In
addition, another element of the definition of ``small business''
requires that an entity not be dominant in its field of operation. The
Commission is unable at this time to define or quantify the criteria
that would establish whether a specific television broadcast station is
dominant in its field of operation. Accordingly, the estimate of small
businesses to which rules may apply does not exclude any television
station from the definition of a small business on this
[[Page 58756]]
basis and is therefore possibly over-inclusive.
50. Radio Stations. This Economic Census category ``comprises
establishments primarily engaged in broadcasting aural programs by
radio to the public. Programming may originate in their own studio,
from an affiliated network, or from external sources.'' The SBA has
established a small business size standard for this category as firms
having $38.5 million or less in annual receipts. Economic Census data
for 2012 shows that 2,849 radio station firms operated during that
year. Of that number, 2,806 operated with annual receipts of less than
$25 million per year, 17 with annual receipts between $25 million and
$49,999,999 million and 26 with annual receipts of $50 million or more.
Therefore, based on the SBA's size standard the majority of such
entities are small entities.
51. According to Commission staff review of the BIA Publications,
Inc. Master Access Radio Analyzer Database as of June 2, 2016, about
11,386 (or about 99.9 percent) of 11,395 commercial radio stations had
revenues of $38.5 million or less and thus qualify as small entities
under the SBA definition. The Commission has estimated the number of
licensed commercial radio stations to be 11,415. The Commission notes
that it has also estimated the number of licensed NCE radio stations to
be 4,101. Nevertheless, the Commission does not compile and otherwise
does not have access to information on the revenue of NCE stations that
would permit it to determine how many such stations would qualify as
small entities.
52. The Commission also notes, that in assessing whether a business
entity qualifies as small under the above definition, business control
affiliations must be included. The Commission's estimate therefore
likely overstates the number of small entities that might be affected
by its action, because the revenue figure on which it is based does not
include or aggregate revenues from affiliated companies. In addition,
to be determined a ``small business,'' an entity may not be dominant in
its field of operation. Tthe Commission further notes, that it is
difficult at times to assess these criteria in the context of media
entities, and the estimate of small businesses to which these rules may
apply does not exclude any radio station from the definition of a small
business on these basis, thus our estimate of small businesses may
therefore be over-inclusive.
53. FM Translator Stations and Low Power FM Stations. FM
translators and Low Power FM Stations are classified in the category of
Radio Stations and are assigned the same NAICS Code as licensees of
radio stations. This U.S. industry, Radio Stations, comprises
establishments primarily engaged in broadcasting aural programs by
radio to the public. Programming may originate in their own studio,
from an affiliated network, or from external sources. The SBA has
established a small business size standard which consists of all radio
stations whose annual receipts are $38.5 million dollars or less. U.S.
Census data for 2012 indicate that 2,849 radio station firms operated
during that year. Of that number, 2,806 operated with annual receipts
of less than $25 million per year, 17 with annual receipts between $25
million and $49,999,999 million and 26 with annual receipts of $50
million or more. Based on U.S. Census data, the Commission concludes
that the majority of FM Translator Stations and Low Power FM Stations
are small.
54. Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service (MVDDS). MVDDS
is a terrestrial fixed microwave service operating in the 12.2-12.7 GHz
band. The Commission adopted criteria for defining three groups of
small businesses for purposes of determining their eligibility for
special provisions such as bidding credits. It defined a very small
business as an entity with average annual gross revenues not exceeding
$3 million for the preceding three years; a small business as an entity
with average annual gross revenues not exceeding $15 million for the
preceding three years; and an entrepreneur as an entity with average
annual gross revenues not exceeding $40 million for the preceding three
years. These definitions were approved by the SBA. On January 27, 2004,
the Commission completed an auction of 214 MVDDS licenses (Auction No.
53). In this auction, ten winning bidders won a total of 192 MVDDS
licenses. Eight of the ten winning bidders claimed small business
status and won 144 of the licenses. The Commission also held an auction
of MVDDS licenses on December 7, 2005 (Auction 63). Of the three
winning bidders who won 22 licenses, two winning bidders, winning 21 of
the licenses, claimed small business status.
55. Satellite Telecommunications. This category comprises firms
``primarily engaged in providing telecommunications services to other
establishments in the telecommunications and broadcasting industries by
forwarding and receiving communications signals via a system of
satellites or reselling satellite telecommunications.'' The category
has a small business size standard of $32.5 million or less in average
annual receipts, under SBA rules. For this category, U.S. Census Bureau
data for 2012 show that there were a total of 333 firms that operated
for the entire year. Of this total, 299 firms had annual receipts of
less than $25 million. Consequently, the Commission estimates that the
majority of satellite telecommunications providers are small entities.
56. All Other Telecommunications. The ``All Other
Telecommunications'' category is comprised of establishments that are
primarily engaged in providing specialized telecommunications services,
such as satellite tracking, communications telemetry, and radar station
operation. This industry also includes establishments primarily engaged
in providing satellite terminal stations and associated facilities
connected with one or more terrestrial systems and capable of
transmitting telecommunications to, and receiving telecommunications
from, satellite systems. Establishments providing internet services or
voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services via client-supplied
telecommunications connections are also included in this industry. The
SBA has developed a small business size standard for ``All Other
Telecommunications,'' which consists of all such firms with gross
annual receipts of $32.5 million or less. For this category, U.S.
Census data for 2012 show that there were 1,442 firms that operated for
the entire year. Of these firms, a total of 1,400 had gross annual
receipts of less than $25 million. Thus, a majority of ``All Other
Telecommunications'' firms potentially affected by our action can be
considered small.
57. Fixed Microwave Services. Microwave services include common
carrier,private-operational fixed, and broadcast auxiliary radio
services. They also include the Local Multipoint Distribution Service
(LMDS), the Digital Electronic Message Service (DEMS), the 39 GHz
Service (39 GHz), the 24 GHz Service, and the Millimeter Wave Service
where licensees can choose between common carrier and non-common
carrier status. The SBA nor the Commission has defined a small business
size standard for microwave services. For purposes of this IRFA, the
Commission will use the SBA's definition applicable to Wireless
Telecommunications Carriers (except satellite)--i.e., an entity with no
more than 1,500 persons is considered small. Under that size standard,
such a business is small if it has 1,500 or fewer employees. U. S.
Census Bureau data for 2012, show that there were 967 firms in this
category that operated for the entire
[[Page 58757]]
year. Of this total, 955 had employment of 999 or fewer, and 12 firms
had employment of 1,000 employees or more. Thus, under this category
and the associated small business size standard, the Commission
estimates that the majority of wireless telecommunications carriers
(except satellite) are small entities that may be affected by our
proposed action.
58. According to Commission data in the Universal Licensing System
(ULS) as of September 22, 2015 there were approximately 61,970 common
carrier fixed licensees, 62,909 private and public safety operational-
fixed licensees, 20,349 broadcast auxiliary radio licensees, 412 LMDS
licenses, 35 DEMS licenses, 870 39 GHz licenses, and five 24 GHz
licenses, and 408 Millimeter Wave licenses in the microwave services.
The Commission notes that the number of firms does not necessarily
track the number of licensees. The Commission estimates that virtually
all of the Fixed Microwave licensees (excluding broadcast auxiliary
licensees) would qualify as small entities under the SBA definition.
59. Non-Licensee Owners of Towers and Other Infrastructure.
Although at one time most communications towers were owned by the
licensee using the tower to provide communications service, many towers
are now owned by third-party businesses that do not provide
communications services themselves but lease space on their towers to
other companies that provide communications services. The Commission's
rules require that any entity, including a non-licensee, proposing to
construct a tower over 200 feet in height or within the glide slope of
an airport must register the tower with the Commission's Antenna
Structure Registration (``ASR'') system and comply with applicable
rules regarding review for impact on the environment and historic
properties.
60. As of March 1, 2017, the ASR database includes approximately
122,157 registration records reflecting a ``Constructed'' status and
13,987 registration records reflecting a ``Granted, Not Constructed''
status. These figures include both towers registered to licensees and
towers registered to non-licensee tower owners. The Commission does not
keep information from which it can easily determine how many of these
towers are registered to non-licensees or how many non-licensees have
registered towers. Regarding towers that do not require ASR
registration, the Commission does not collect information as to the
number of such towers in use and therefore cannot estimate the number
of tower owners that would be subject to the rules on which the
Commission seeks comment. Moreover, the SBA has not developed a size
standard for small businesses in the category ``Tower Owners.''
Therefore, the Commission is unable to determine the number of non-
licensee tower owners that are small entities. The Commission believes,
however, that when all entities owning 10 or fewer towers and leasing
space for collocation are included, non-licensee tower owners number in
the thousands, and that nearly all of these qualify as small businesses
under the SBA's definition for ``All Other Telecommunications.'' The
SBA has developed a small business size standard for ``All Other
Telecommunications,'' which consists of all such firms with gross
annual receipts of $32.5 million or less. For this category, U.S.
Census data for 2012 show that there were 1,442 firms that operated for
the entire year. Of these firms, a total of 1,400 had gross annual
receipts of less than $25 million. Thus, a majority of ``All Other
Telecommunications'' firms potentially affected by our action can be
considered small. In addition, there may be other non-licensee owners
of other wireless infrastructure, including Distributed Antenna Systems
(DAS) and small cells, that might be affected by the measures on which
the Commission seeks comment. The Commission does not have any basis
for estimating the number of such non-licensee owners that are small
entities.
5. Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other
Compliance Requirements for Small Entities
61. The Commission is not imposing any additional reporting or
record keeping requirements. Rather, as discussed in the next section,
the Commission is reducing National Historic Preservation Act
compliance burdens, including those on small entities, by eliminating
the historic preservation review requirement for construction of
replacement utility poles that are capable of supporting antennas or
other wireless communications equipment and are substantially similar
to the preexisting poles, subject to certain conditions. The Commission
is also reorganizing the rules governing its historic preservation
review procedures by consolidating them into a single new Rule 1.1320.
This should clarify the rules and make compliance easier for small
entities.
6. Steps Taken To Minimize the Significant Economic Impact on Small
Entities, and Significant Alternatives Considered
62. The RFA requires an agency to describe any significant
alternatives that it has considered in reaching its proposed approach,
which may include the following four alternatives (among others): ``(1)
the establishment of differing compliance or reporting requirements or
timetables that take into account the resources available to small
entities; (2) the clarification, consolidation, or simplification of
compliance and reporting requirements under the rule for such small
entities; (3) the use of performance rather than design standards; and
(4) an exemption from coverage of the rule, or any part thereof, for
such small entities.''
63. This Order streamlines the process of deploying next-generation
wireless broadband by eliminating the need for historic preservation
review for construction of replacement utility poles in certain
circumstances. The Commission anticipates that adoption of this
replacement pole exclusion will provide significant efficiencies in the
deployment of such facilities, particularly for small entities that may
not have the compliance resources and economies of scale of larger
entities, while still avoiding adverse impacts on historic properties.
The exclusion will also make more consistent the process that carriers
and pole construction companies must follow to comply with our historic
preservation review requirements and those they must follow when
building replacement poles that are subject to the requirements of
other agencies pursuant to the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation's Program Comment for Communications Projects on Federal
Lands and Property. By adopting this new exclusion, the Commission
continues to fulfill our statutory responsibilities regarding historic
preservation, while reducing the burden on small entities by removing
unnecessary impediments to the rapid deployment of small cell
facilities and other wireless infrastructure across the country.
64. Further, the Order incorporates the new exclusion for
replacement poles into our rules in a manner that more clearly
articulates licensees' and applicants' obligations not only as to this
specific issue, but more generally as to the entire historic
preservation review process. Thus, the Commission is reorganizing its
existing regulations to clarify the general requirements regarding
historic preservation review, as well as to specify the contours of the
[[Page 58758]]
new exclusion. This simpler presentation of our requirements in the new
rule should make it easier for licensees and applicants to understand
and comply with our historic preservation review requirements, and thus
may expedite the completion of such review and facilitate more
expeditious deployment of wireless infrastructure, further reducing the
intrinsic cost and delay associated with such deployment.
65. As discussed above, the overall approach the Commission has
taken is to remove regulatory requirements associated with NHPA
compliance with respect to one specified category of undertakings and
to simplify and clarify the existing requirements applicable in other
contexts. In crafting this regulatory relief, the Commission has not
identified any additional steps that itcould take with respect to small
entities that could not also be applied to all entities that construct
or deploy wireless infrastructure. While the new exclusion for
replacement utility poles is not specifically directed at small
entities, the Commission recognizes that our actions in the Order can
potentially decrease costs for all those subject to NHPA obligations,
including small entities.
7. Report to Congress
66. The Commission will send a copy of the Report and Order,
including this FRFA, in a report to be sent to Congress pursuant to the
Congressional Review Act. In addition, the Commission will send a copy
of the Report and Order, including this FRFA, to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the SBA. The Report and Order and FRFA (or summaries
thereof) also will be published in the Federal Register.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
67. The Report and Order does not contain new or revised
information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104-13. In addition, therefore, it does
not contains any substantive new or modified information collection
burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees,
pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law
107-198; see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).
C. Congressional Review Act
68. The Commission will send a copy of the Report and Order in a
report to be sent to Congress and the Government Accountability Office
pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA), see 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A).
V. Ordering Clauses
69. Accordingly, it is ordered, pursuant to Sections 1, 2, 4(i), 7,
201, 301, 303, and 332 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended 47
U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i), 157, 201, 301, 303, and 332, Section 102(C) of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C.
4332(C), and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966, as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108, that the Report and Order is hereby
adopted.
70. It is further ordered that the Commission's Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference Information Center, shall send a
copy of the Report and Order, including the Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration.
71. It is further ordered that part 1 of the Commission's rules is
amended, and that these changes shall be effective January 16, 2018.
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 1
Communications common carriers, Communications equipment,
Environmental protection, Historic preservation, Radio,
Telecommunications.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
Final Rules
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 1 as follows:
PART I--PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
0
1. The authority citation for part 1 is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 157, 225, 303(r), 309,
1403, 1404, 1451, and 1452.
0
2. Section 1.1307 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(4) to read as
follows:
Sec. 1.1307 Actions that may have a significant environmental
effect, for which Environmental Assessments (EAs) must be prepared.
(a) * * *
(4) Facilities that may affect districts, sites, buildings,
structures or objects, significant in American history, architecture,
archeology, engineering or culture, that are listed, or are eligible
for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places (see 54 U.S.C.
300308; 36 CFR parts 60 and 800), and that are subject to review
pursuant to section 1.1320 and have been determined through that review
process to have adverse effects on identified historic properties.
* * * * *
0
3. Section 1.1320 is added to subpart I to read as follows:
Sec. 1.1320 Review of Commission undertakings that may affect
historic properties.
(a) Review of Commission undertakings. Any Commission undertaking
that has the potential to cause effects on historic properties, unless
excluded from review pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, shall
be subject to review under section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108, by applying--
(1) The procedures set forth in regulations of the Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation, 36 CFR 800.3-800.13, or
(2) If applicable, a program alternative established pursuant to 36
CFR 800.14, including but not limited to the following:
(i) The Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Collocation of
Wireless Antennas, as amended, Appendix B of this part.
(ii) The Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Review of Effects on
Historic Properties for Certain Undertakings, Appendix C of this part.
(iii) The Program Comment to Tailor the Federal Communications
Commission's Section 106 Review for Undertakings Involving the
Construction of Positive Train Control Wayside Poles and
Infrastructure, 79 FR 30861 (May 29, 2014).
(b) Exclusions. The following categories of undertakings are
excluded from review under this section:
(1) Projects reviewed by other agencies. Undertakings for which an
agency other than the Commission is the lead Federal agency pursuant to
36 CFR 800.2(a)(2).
(2) Projects subject to program alternatives. Undertakings excluded
from review under a program alternative established pursuant to 36 CFR
800.14, including those listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(3) Replacement utility poles. Construction of a replacement for an
existing structure where all the following criteria are satisfied:
(i) The original structure--
(A) Is a pole that can hold utility, communications, or related
transmission lines;
(B) Was not originally erected for the sole or primary purpose of
supporting antennas that operate pursuant to the Commission's spectrum
license or authorization; and
[[Page 58759]]
(C) Is not itself a historic property.
(ii) The replacement pole--
(A) Is located no more than 10 feet away from the original pole,
based on the distance between the centerpoint of the replacement pole
and the centerpoint of the original pole; provided that construction of
the replacement pole in place of the original pole entails no new
ground disturbance (either laterally or in depth) outside previously
disturbed areas, including disturbance associated with temporary
support of utility, communications, or related transmission lines. For
purposes of this paragraph, ``ground disturbance'' means any activity
that moves, compacts, alters, displaces, or penetrates the ground
surface of previously undisturbed soils;
(B) Has a height that does not exceed the height of the original
pole by more than 5 feet or 10 percent of the height of the original
pole, whichever is greater; and
(C) Has an appearance consistent with the quality and appearance of
the original pole.
(4) Collocations on buildings and other non-tower structures. The
mounting of antennas (including associated equipment such as wiring,
cabling, cabinets, or backup power) on buildings or other non-tower
structures where the deployment meets the following conditions:
(i) There is an existing antenna on the building or structure;
(ii) One of the following criteria is met:
(A) Non-Visible Antennas. The new antenna is not visible from any
adjacent streets or surrounding public spaces and is added in the same
vicinity as a pre-existing antenna;
(B) Visible Replacement Antennas. The new antenna is visible from
adjacent streets or surrounding public spaces, provided that
(1) It is a replacement for a pre-existing antenna,
(2) The new antenna will be located in the same vicinity as the
pre-existing antenna,
(3) The new antenna will be visible only from adjacent streets and
surrounding public spaces that also afford views of the pre-existing
antenna,
(4) The new antenna is not more than 3 feet larger in height or
width (including all protuberances) than the pre-existing antenna, and
(5) No new equipment cabinets are visible from the adjacent streets
or surrounding public spaces; or
(C) Other Visible Antennas. The new antenna is visible from
adjacent streets or surrounding public spaces, provided that
(1) It is located in the same vicinity as a pre-existing antenna,
(2) The new antenna will be visible only from adjacent streets and
surrounding public spaces that also afford views of the pre-existing
antenna,
(3) The pre-existing antenna was not deployed pursuant to the
exclusion in this paragraph,
(4) The new antenna is not more than three feet larger in height or
width (including all protuberances) than the pre-existing antenna, and
(5) No new equipment cabinets are visible from the adjacent streets
or surrounding public spaces;
(iii) The new antenna complies with all zoning conditions and
historic preservation conditions applicable to existing antennas in the
same vicinity that directly mitigate or prevent effects, such as
camouflage or concealment requirements;
(iv) The deployment of the new antenna involves no new ground
disturbance; and
(v) The deployment would otherwise require the preparation of an
Environmental Assessment under 1.1304(a)(4) solely because of the age
of the structure.
Note 1 to Paragraph (b)(4): A non-visible new antenna is in the
``same vicinity'' as a pre-existing antenna if it will be collocated
on the same rooftop, fa[ccedil]ade or other surface. A visible new
antenna is in the ``same vicinity'' as a pre-existing antenna if it
is on the same rooftop, fa[ccedil]ade, or other surface and the
centerpoint of the new antenna is within ten feet of the centerpoint
of the pre-existing antenna. A deployment causes no new ground
disturbance when the depth and width of previous disturbance exceeds
the proposed construction depth and width by at least two feet.
(c) Responsibilities of applicants. Applicants seeking Commission
authorization for construction or modification of towers, collocation
of antennas, or other undertakings shall take the steps mandated by,
and comply with the requirements set forth in, Appendix C of this part,
sections III-X, or any other applicable program alternative.
(d) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following
definitions apply:
Antenna means an apparatus designed for the purpose of emitting
radiofrequency (RF) radiation, to be operated or operating from a fixed
location pursuant to Commission authorization, for the transmission of
writing, signs, signals, data, images, pictures, and sounds of all
kinds, including the transmitting device and any on-site equipment,
switches, wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters or cabinets
associated with that antenna and added to a tower, structure, or
building as part of the original installation of the antenna. For most
services, an antenna will be mounted on or in, and is distinct from, a
supporting structure such as a tower, structure or building. However,
in the case of AM broadcast stations, the entire tower or group of
towers constitutes the antenna for that station. For purposes of this
section, the term antenna does not include unintentional radiators,
mobile stations, or devices authorized under part 15 of this title.
Applicant means a Commission licensee, permittee, or registration
holder, or an applicant or prospective applicant for a wireless or
broadcast license, authorization or antenna structure registration, and
the duly authorized agents, employees, and contractors of any such
person or entity.
Collocation means the mounting or installation of an antenna on an
existing tower, building or structure for the purpose of transmitting
and/or receiving radio frequency signals for communications purposes,
whether or not there is an existing antenna on the structure.
Tower means any structure built for the sole or primary purpose of
supporting Commission-licensed or authorized antennas, including the
on-site fencing, equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, power sources,
shelters, or cabinets associated with that tower but not installed as
part of an antenna as defined herein.
Undertaking means a project, activity, or program funded in whole
or in part under the direct or indirect jurisdiction of the Commission,
including those requiring a Commission permit, license or approval.
Maintenance and servicing of towers, antennas, and associated equipment
are not deemed to be undertakings subject to review under this section.
[FR Doc. 2017-26940 Filed 12-13-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P