§ 1455. Wireless facilities deployment

(a) Facility modifications

(1) In general

Notwithstanding section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–104) or any other provision of law, a State or local government may not deny, and shall approve, any eligible facilities request for a modification of an existing wireless tower or base station that does not substantially change the physical dimensions of such tower or base station.

(2) Eligible facilities request For purposes of this subsection, the term “eligible facilities request” means any request for modification of an existing wireless tower or base station that involves—

(A) collocation of new transmission equipment;

(B) removal of transmission equipment; or

(C) replacement of transmission equipment.

(3) Applicability of environmental laws

Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to relieve the Commission from the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act or the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

(b) Federal easements and rights-of-way

(1) Grant

If an executive agency, a State, a political subdivision or agency of a State, or a person, firm, or organization applies for the grant of an easement or right-of-way to, in, over, or on a building or other property owned by the Federal Government for the right to install, construct, and maintain wireless service antenna structures and equipment and backhaul transmission equipment, the executive agency having control of the building or other property may grant to the applicant, on behalf of the Federal Government, an easement or right-of-way to perform such installation, construction, and maintenance.

(2) Application

The Administrator of General Services shall develop a common form for applications for easements and rights-of-way under paragraph (1) for all executive agencies that shall be used by applicants with respect to the buildings or other property of each such agency.

(3) Fee

(A) In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of General Services shall establish a fee for the grant of an easement or right-of-way pursuant to paragraph (1) that is based on direct cost recovery.

(B) Exceptions The Administrator of General Services may establish exceptions to the fee amount required under subparagraph (A)—

(i) in consideration of the public benefit provided by a grant of an easement or right-of-way; and

(ii) in the interest of expanding wireless and broadband coverage.

(4) Use of fees collected

Any fee amounts collected by an executive agency pursuant to paragraph (3) may be made available, as provided in appropriations Acts, to such agency to cover the costs of granting the easement or right-of-way.

(c) Master contracts for wireless facility sitings

(1) In general Notwithstanding section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 or any other provision of law, and not later than 60 days after February 22, 2012, the Administrator of General Services shall—

(A) develop 1 or more master contracts that shall govern the placement of wireless service antenna structures on buildings and other property owned by the Federal Government; and

(B) in developing the master contract or contracts, standardize the treatment of the placement of wireless service antenna structures on building rooftops or facades, the placement of wireless service antenna equipment on rooftops or inside buildings, the technology used in connection with wireless service antenna structures or equipment placed on Federal buildings and other property, and any other key issues the Administrator of General Services considers appropriate.

(2) Applicability

The master contract or contracts developed by the Administrator of General Services under paragraph (1) shall apply to all publicly accessible buildings and other property owned by the Federal Government, unless the Administrator of General Services decides that issues with respect to the siting of a wireless service antenna structure on a specific building or other property warrant nonstandard treatment of such building or other property.

(3) Application

The Administrator of General Services shall develop a common form or set of forms for wireless service antenna structure siting applications under this subsection for all executive agencies that shall be used by applicants with respect to the buildings and other property of each such agency.

(d) Executive agency defined

In this section, the term “executive agency” has the meaning given such term in section 102 of title 40.

(Pub. L. 112–96, title VI, § 6409, Feb. 22, 2012, 126 Stat. 232.)

References In Text

References in Text

Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (c)(1), is section 704 of Pub. L. 104–104, title VII, Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 151. Subsec. (a) of section 704 of Pub. L. 104–104 amended section 332 of this title. Subsec. (b) of section 704 of Pub. L. 104–104 is not classified to the Code. Subsec. (c) of section 704 of Pub. L. 104–104 is set out as a note under section 332 of this title.

The National Historic Preservation Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is Pub. L. 89–665, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 915, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 470 et seq.) of chapter 1A of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 470(a) of Title 16 and Tables.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is Pub. L. 91–190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§ 4321 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4321 of Title 42 and Tables.