FCC changes may affect Borough tower plan

The Federal Communications Commission has established timeframes for cell phone tower sitings.  What it does for local and Borough control over tower installations is still in question.

The FCC says that although state and local jurisdictions currently process tower placement applications in a timely fashion, the FCC found many instances of unnecessary delays.

In order to ensure a timely review of applications, the FCC has now developed exact timelines.  Congress specifically requires that state and local authorities act within a reasonable period of time on requests for tower installation.  FCC interprets that time to be 90 days for co-locations and 150 days for all other towers.  FCC hopes that this timeframe will assist in speedy installation of wireless networks.

The ruling by FCC also finds that it is a violation of the Communications Act for a state or local government to deny a wireless service facility placement application because service is available from another provider.

The Mat Su Borough is currently reviewing their towers plan.  That plan is expected to go into a public comment phase in early January. Eileen Probasco, planner at the Mat Su Borough says the latest ruling by the FCC, passed down at the end of November, may make a difference in how the Borough will look at tower installations in the future.  She says the timeframe means that if the Borough doesn’t act fast enough, the FCC automatically grants the tower placement to the cell company.  The final towers plan will have to go before the Borough Assembly before it becomes part of Borough code.

–this story has changed slightly since airing Wed p.m.