§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 ¹ or the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

(b) Federal easements, rights-of-way, and leases

(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, right-of-way, or lease to, in, over, or on a building or other property owned by the Federal Government for the right to install, construct, modify, or maintain a communications facility installation, the executive agency having control of the building or other property may grant to the applicant, on behalf of the Federal Government, subject to paragraph (3), an easement, right-of-way, or lease to perform such installation, construction, modification, or maintenance.

(2) Application

(A) In general

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

(B) Exception

The requirement under subparagraph (A) for an executive agency to use the common form developed by the Administrator of General Services shall not apply to an executive agency if the head of an executive agency notifies the Administrator that the executive agency uses a substantially similar application.

(3) Timely consideration of applications

(A) In general

Not later than 270 days after the date on which an executive agency receives a duly filed application for an easement, right-of-way, or lease under this subsection, the executive agency shall-

(i) grant or deny, on behalf of the Federal Government, the application; and

(ii) notify the applicant of the grant or denial.

(B) Explanation of denial

If an executive agency denies an application under subparagraph (A), the executive agency shall notify the applicant in writing, including a clear statement of the reasons for the denial.

(C) Applicability of environmental laws

Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to relieve an executive agency of the requirements of division A of subtitle III of title 54 or the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

(D) Point of contact

Upon receiving an application under subparagraph (A), an executive agency shall designate one or more appropriate individuals within the executive agency to act as a point of contact with the applicant.

(c) Master contracts for communications facility installation sitings

(1) In general

Notwithstanding section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–104; 110 Stat. 151) or any other provision of law, the Administrator of General Services shall-

(A) develop one or more master contracts that shall govern the placement of communications facility installations 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 communications facility installations on building rooftops or facades, the placement of communications facility installations on rooftops or inside buildings, the technology used in connection with communications facility installations 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 communications facility installation on a specific building or other property warrant nonstandard treatment of such building or other property.

(3) Application

(A) In general

The Administrator of General Services shall develop a common form or set of forms for communications facility installation siting applications that, except as provided in subparagraph (B), shall be used by all executive agencies and applicants with respect to the buildings and other property of each such agency.

(B) Exception

The requirement under subparagraph (A) for an executive agency to use the common form or set of forms developed by the Administrator of General Services shall not apply to an executive agency if the head of the executive agency notifies the Administrator that the executive agency uses a substantially similar application.

(d) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Communications facility installation

The term "communications facility installation" includes-

(A) any infrastructure, including any transmitting device, tower, or support structure, and any equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters, or cabinets, associated with the licensed or permitted unlicensed wireless or wireline transmission of writings, signs, signals, data, images, pictures, and sounds of all kinds; and

(B) any antenna or apparatus that-

(i) is designed for the purpose of emitting radio frequency;

(ii) is designed to be operated, or is operating, from a fixed location pursuant to authorization by the Federal Communications Commission or is using duly authorized devices that do not require individual licenses; and

(iii) is added to a tower, building, or other structure.

(2) Executive agency

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 ; Pub. L. 115–141, div. P, title VI, §606(a), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1101 .)

Editorial Notes

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 was classified generally to subchapter II (§470 et seq.) of chapter 1A of Title 16, Conservation. The Act, except for section 1, was repealed and restated in division A (§300101 et seq.) of subtitle III of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs, by Pub. L. 113–287, §§3, 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094 , 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of former sections of Title 16, see Disposition Table preceding section 100101 of Title 54.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3) and (b)(3)(C), 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.

Amendments

2018-Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 115–141 added subsecs. (b) to (d) and struck out former subsecs. (b) to (d) which related to Federal easements and rights-of-way, master contracts for wireless facility sitings, and definition of executive agency, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Savings Provisions

Pub. L. 115–141, div. P, title VI, §606(b), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1103 , provided that: "An application for an easement, right-of-way, or lease that was made or granted under section 6409 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455) before the date of enactment of this Act [Mar. 23, 2018] shall continue, subject to that section as in effect on the day before such date of enactment."

Pub. L. 115–141, div. P, title VI, §606(d), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1104 , provided that:

"(1) Real property authorities.-Nothing in this section [amending this section and enacting provisions set out as a note under this section], or the amendments made by this section, shall be construed as providing any executive agency with any new leasing or other real property authorities not existing prior to the date of enactment of this Act [Mar. 23, 2018].

"(2) Effect on other laws.-Nothing in this section, or the amendments made by this section, and no actions taken pursuant to this section, or the amendments made by this section, shall impact a decision or determination by any executive agency to sell, dispose of, declare excess or surplus, lease, reuse, or redevelop any Federal real property pursuant to title 40, United States Code, the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–287) [40 U.S.C. 1303 note], or any other law governing real property activities of the Federal Government. No agreement entered into pursuant to this section, or the amendments made by this section, may obligate the Federal Government to hold, control, or otherwise retain or use real property that may otherwise be deemed as excess, surplus, or that could be otherwise sold, leased, or redeveloped."

¹ See References in Text note below.