Now more than ever, complying with FCC environmental and historic regulations is an important aspect of public safety wireless network management. As public safety licensees nationwide modernize and deploy advanced wireless networks, consideration of FCC environmental requirements early in the planning process can help speed deployment, reduce costs, facilitate compliance with requirements for federal grants or loans (e.g. PSIC, BTOP or RUS), and lay the groundwork for potential future collocation revenue. This session on Feb. 8 — starting at 9 a.m. and held in conjunction with the APCO Western Regional Conference in Ontario, Calif. — will address FCC National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance for public safety wireless networks, with a particular focus on historic preservation requirements.

Designed for public safety network professionals involved in site acquisition and development and wireless network planning, attendees will receive useful, practical training and tips. Topics covered in the session include:

• What are your obligations – what are the controlling environmental laws.
• Decision-makers’ guidance –what conditions will lead to successful compliance, including advance planning, selecting consultants, oversight and record-keeping.
• Why compliance is important – why compliance is necessary for public safety licensees and beneficial (e.g., early decisions about siting and structural design of towers can maximize commercial collocation revenue or infrastructure sharing with commercial wireless providers).
• NEPA overview – when is FCC environmental review triggered, what factors must be considered and addressed prior to construction, and how does the Environmental Assessment process work.
• NHPA overview – how to determine whether a new tower or collocation will impact historic properties, when is consultation with SHPO/tribes required, and what is mitigation.
• Successful case studies – examples where public safety licensees engaged FCC staff early to site towers in sensitive areas (e.g. near Civil War battlefields) and maximize collocation revenue.

Panelists will include Amos Loveday, Jr., Ph.D., History and Preservation Specialist at Atchley Hardin Lane and the former FCC Federal Preservation Officer and Ohio SHPO, as well as representative(s) from the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and NEPA/NHPA staff from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.