Seattle Will Appeal FCC’s Proposed Rules That Strip Local Authority Over 5G Rollout
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“In coordination with the overwhelming majority of local jurisdictions that
oppose this unprecedented federal intrusion by the FCC, we will be
appealing this order, challenging the FCC’s authority and its misguided
interpretations of federal law,” 
“The scope of this overreach is significant. It impedes local authority to serve as trustees of public property and to fulfill cities’ public health and safety responsibilities while establishing unworkable standards. This will increase costs and impose an unreasonable burden on local governments.
“We are working with impacted City Departments: Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Department Construction and Inspections, Finance and Administrative Services, Seattle Public Utilities, Parks and Recreation, and others – to understand the full extent of these impacts. This includes planning for process changes and increased staffing for compliance with the new FCC Order.
“The City of Seattle has been working with telecom carriers to provide efficient and predictable processes in building next generation infrastructure. In the coming weeks, the City Attorney’s Office will examine how the Order will impact our existing contracts with telecom carriers. Seattle also needs to examine how the Order will impact the many pending applications for deployment of wireless infrastructure, as the actions by the FCC have impeded these efforts. We are particularly concerned about how the Order will compromise the safety, security, and reliability of critical electrical infrastructure, City Light’s utility poles.
“In coordination with the overwhelming majority of local jurisdictions that oppose this unprecedented federal intrusion by the FCC, we will be appealing this order, challenging the FCC’s authority and its misguided interpretations of federal law.
“Seattle is working on innovative ways to lead on the deployment of next-gen technologies like 5G wireless networks. But we cannot support an Order that commandeers City resources for private gain, limits municipal control over its own resources, and tramples local concerns over safety and access. Joined by Mayors across the country, Seattle is strongly in opposition to this overreach by the Trump administration.”