Society for American Archaeology Raises Concerns on CTIA's NEPA Petition
The Society for American Archeology opposed a CTIA petition asking the FCC to launch a rulemaking (see 2503270059) to update its rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). “The goal of the CTIA’s petition is for the FCC to structure its regulations in such a way that wireless geographic licenses would not be considered Major Federal Actions under” NEPA, said a filing posted Tuesday in RM-12003.
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“Regardless of the applicability of NEPA to geographic licenses, if the FCC is made aware of potential adverse effects on historic properties, under the NHPA [the National Historic Preservation Act] the license could and should be altered to require the avoidance, minimization, or mitigation of any proposed adverse effects to historic properties,” the archeology group said. “By stating that the FCC could not require a license to have stipulations for historic property protection, CTIA is asking the FCC to unilaterally mute the voice of the state and the tribes” under the NHPA. An aide to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr indicated Tuesday the FCC is focused on the petition (see 2504220067).