HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupport Letter - H.R. 530 (Eschoo) - 07.24.2019CITY OF
CUPERTINO
July 24, 2019
MAYOR STEVEN SCHARF
sscharfg'cupertino.org
CITY HALL
10300 TORRE AVENUE • CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255
TELEPHONE: (408) 777-3191 • FAX: (408) 777-3366
CU PERTI NO.ORG
The Honorable Anna Eshoo
202 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Support H.R. 530 (Eshoo)
Dear Congresswoman Eshoo,
On behalf of the City of Cupertino, I am writing to express the City's support for H.R. 530,
which would nullify recent actions by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
that constrict local authority in pursuit of the expansion of wireless infrastructure.
In August and September 2018, the FCC adopted regulations limiting the authority of
cities and states to regulate the wireless technological attachments to public infrastructure,
like street lights and utility poles, needed for the deployment of 5G. These regulations
compel local governments to permit access to publicly owned infrastructure with set time
limits as low as 60 days to conduct all necessary inspections and authorize proposals.
Additionally, their limitation on fees and rates to direct and actual costs strips
municipalities of the ability to analyze and identify the cost -benefit of this technology to
its residents. The FCC's actions prevent even reasonable local environmental and design
review, and drastically limit common-sense requirements to include our constituents in
the approval process and allow us to protect our community.
The actions upend local authority in the name of expediting corporate technological
expansion. We share the FCC's goal of ensuring efficient, safe, and appropriate
deployment of new broadband technology, but co-opting local infrastructure without
local permission is the wrong solution.
The State of California considered similar legislation (Senate Bill 649) two years ago. The
bill received widespread opposition from local jurisdictions, and though the state
legislature passed it, Governor Brown vetoed the bill. It has not been reintroduced since.
California cities like ours understand that we cannot adequately govern if essential local
decisions are outsourced to corporations who are not accountable to our residents. Local
governments should have the time and flexibility to ensure that small cell wireless
infrastructure is deployed safely and correctly in our communities.
Since the FCC's regulations took effect on January 14, 2019, cities have already begun to
feel their effects. There is no time to waste. I would like to thank you for your leadership
in authoring H.R. 530, and for including local governments in the path forward for
widespread 5G deployment that does not come at the expense of local freedom.
Sincerely,
L, 4L
Steven Scharf.
Mayor, City of Cupertino
cc: The Honorable Ro Khanna
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
The Honorable Kamala Harris