| The head of PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association, Jonathan Adelstein, applauded the release of a model ordinance chapter and application checklist prepared by a consortium of organizations in response to a direct request from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). “This is a big step toward improving the siting of wireless broadband facilities that America needs to deliver the bandwidth consumers are demanding,” noted Jonathan Adelstein, PCIA’s President and CEO. “The materials we’re making available to communities across the country today will help to accelerate and streamline the siting of wireless facilities to help ease the ‘wireless data crunch,’ ” he said. “There is a need to rapidly deploy more infrastructure to meet the booming demand for wireless mobile data. Commissioner Clyburn wisely called upon municipalities and industry to work together, leading our consortium to come up with a superb set of educational materials that will help localities with the responsible siting of these facilities,” said Adelstein, a former FCC Commissioner. Developed in concert with the CTIA—The Wireless Association, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), and the National League of Cities (NLC), the model ordinance chapter and application checklist were drafted to help local jurisdictions adopt guidelines surrounding the FCC’s implementation of Section 6409(a) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, as set forth in the FCC’s October 2014 Acceleration of Broadband Deployment Order. In that Order last fall, Commissioner Clyburn urged municipalities and wireless industry leaders to develop educational materials aimed at easing the implementation burden on localities that must adhere to the FCC’s new rules. The working group’s materials are designed to ensure a smooth and environmentally appropriate process to site facilities. |