Hi All,
NATOA Webminar on Oct 10 – FCC Actions’s Impact on Municipalities
Following is the Newsletter of NATOA – the Nationally Recognized Local Government Association. They discuss the impact of the FCC Sept 26 vote to limit the power of local municipalities to regulate 5G. As a result, NATOA will hold a Webminar on Oct. 10 “A Review of the FCC’s Actions to Preempt Local Authority”. Those who are actively fighting 5G on the local level, may want to register to the Webminar to learn and understand the issue faced by municipalities, their point of view and to use this information to find common grounds to collaborate.
Additional 2 pages from their website that may be of interest: Their (1) FCC Page & (2) NATOA HILL Page
The FCC Proposed Action
The rulemaking is scheduled to be voted on Sept 26. Since the FCC vote is a sham the rulemaking is likely to pass.
The rulemaking “would implement a federal law to blocks municipal rules that would prohibit deployment of wireless service, and would only allow municipalities to charge fees on small cell deployments limited to covering the municipality’s costs. The plan would also require approval or disapproval of applications to attach small cells to existing structures within 60 days and to applications to build new poles within 90 days, and places “modest guardrails” on rules like aesthetic reviews that may slow down service.” Press HERE for an article that summarizes the essentials of the FCC’s Sept. 26 rulemaking.
The rulemaking is supposed to save the industry about 2$ billion…A few days ago a good article was published that critisizes the FCC rulemaking “FCC’s 5G masterstroke little more than big biz cash giveaway“ and says correctly that this action by the FCC will expand not narrow the digital divide..Clearly the FCC actions are not well thought of no matter how one looks at them and clearly do not aim to act in the best interest of public. The FCC actions seem to be in the service of industry only not surprising though as it is a Captured Agency.
A reminder – a few months ago, a mayor who was sitting on an FCC committee on Broadband deployment resigned saying that the FCC is controlled by the industry.
I think the FCC’s actions may qualify as racketeering under RICO.
Letter of NATOA & Other Municipal Organizations to FCC
On Sept. 19th NATOA with the National League of Cities and the National Association of Cities, submitted a letter to the FCC objecting the FCC Rulmaking to remove “barriers” to wireless deployment and investment (WT Docket 17-79 & WC Docket 17-84).
Conference of Mayors Announced It Will Sue FCC Over Legislation
The US Conference of Mayors published a statement on Sept. 10 announcing that if the FCC will pass the legislation to it will sue the FCC.
They said in their statement:
“The U.S. Conference of Mayors strongly opposes recent proposals by the Federal Communications Commission to grant communications service providers subsidized access to local public property and to dictate how local governments manage their own local rights-of-ways and public property.”
They mention concern over safety issues:
“This unprecedented federal intrusion into local (and state) government property rights will have substantial adverse impacts on cities and their taxpayers, including reduced funding for essential local government services, as well as an increased risk of right-of-way and other public safety hazards.”
They clearly stated that unless the FCC will change its policy they will sue the FCC:
“The Conference of Mayors strongly opposes these proposals and calls on the agency to change them; absent such changes, the Conference and its members will seek relief in federal court to overturn this unprecedented overreach by the FCC.”
Thank you,
Dafna
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