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Communication Uses – Wireless Uses

Image of Tonto National Forest- Apache Lake Communications Site
Image of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests- Greens Peak Communications Site
Image of Cibola National Forest- La Mosca Communications Site.
Image of El Yunque National Forest- El Yunque Peak Communications Site

Overview

The Forest Service manages more than 1,400 communications sites on National Forests and Grasslands and administers over 4,000 communications use authorizations for wireless communications. Expand the sections below for more information.

The Forest Service authorizes the use and occupancy of National Forests and Grasslands for communications uses with a communications use lease or special use permit (“authorization”). Proposed communications uses must be consistent with the management objectives in the applicable communications site management plan and compatible with existing uses.

Co-location Requirements

The Forest Service encourages, and in some situations requires proponents of a new communications use at an existing communications site, to co-locate in and on existing communications facilities. Prior to submitting a proposal for a new communications facility, a proponent should be prepared to provide the local Forest Service office with documentation of their efforts to co-locate in and on existing communications facilities. 

Benefits of Co-location:

  • A Forest Service authorization is not required when a wireless user co-locates in and on an existing non-federal communications facility.

  • An expedited review process.

Step 1:

The Communications Sites Map Viewer can be used to find existing communications sites across the country and provides basic data related to the communications site. If one of our existing communications sites meet your needs, you can contact the local Forest Service office for information about existing authorization holders.

Forest Service Communications Sites Map Viewer

Step 2:

Prior to co-locating your communications equipment in or on an existing communications facility, the authorization holder must submit on your behalf, a completed form FS-2700-10, Technical Data Sheet, and a copy of your FCC license, if applicable, to the local Forest Service office for review.

Step 3:

Upon receipt of a completed form FS-2700-10, and a copy of the FCC license, if applicable, the authorized officer shall complete an initial review within 5 business days to determine if the proposed use is consistent with the management objectives in the applicable communications site management plan.

If your proposed use is not consistent with the management objectives in the applicable communications site management plan, the authorized officer will deny the proposed use.

Step 4:

If your proposed use is consistent with the management objectives in the applicable communications site management plan, the authorized officer will provide the FS-2700-10, to other authorization holders at the communications site and give them 5 business days to submit documentation that the proposed use would cause harmful interference with their or any of their occupants’ communications uses. If any such documentation is received within 5 business days, the authorized officer shall notify the proponent and provide the proponent an opportunity to mitigate any concerns.

If the proponent is not able to mitigate the concerns to the satisfaction of the authorized officer, the authorized officer shall deny the proposed use. If no such documentation is received within 5 business days, the authorized officer shall notify the proponent within 5 business days of the conclusion of the holders’ documentation period that the co-location may proceed.

Proposal Review and Processing

If all the opportunities for co-location have been exhausted and the only alternative is to site a new communications facility (tower or shelter) you must submit a proposal to the local Forest Service office.

Your proposed use of NFS lands will be screened for compliance with certain criteria, including applicable laws, orders, and policies, the land management plan, and other requirements. This process:

  • Ensures a proposed use is viable before environmental analysis is conducted, and

  • Allows the agency to help the proponent refine the proposal, saving time and money.

Minimum Requirements:

Forest Service regulations require any proposed use to be screened to ensure that the proposed use meets the minimum requirements. A proposal must pass the initial and second-level screening process before an application will be accepted.

Forest Service directives require that the proponent be notified of the suitability of the proposal within 60 days of receipt. If your proposal does not meet the criteria of both the initial and second-level screening process it will be rejected. If your proposal meets the criteria of both the initial and second-level screening process, you will be notified that you may submit a written application for further evaluation.

Siting a New Communications Facility at an Existing Communications Site

Proposals for new communications facilities must include the following:

  1. Completed form SF-299: Application for Transportation, Utility Systems, Telecommunications and Facilities on Federal Lands and Property (.pdf, 787 KB)

  2. Plan of Development for a Communications Use Facility (.pdf, 21 KB)

  3. Conceptual Construction Drawing of proposed facility

  4. Completed form FS-2700-10, Technical Data Sheet (.pdf, 54 KB)

  5. A copy of the FCC license or NTIA authorization, if applicable

  6. Submit proposal package to local Forest Service office

Siting a New Communications Facility at a New Location

If all the opportunities for co-location or siting new communications facilities at an existing communications site have been exhausted and the only alternative is to construct a new communications facility at a new location (not previously approved for communications uses), your proposal must include items 1 through 7 above, and:

  1. Documentation that the proposed use cannot reasonably be accommodated off NFS lands.

Application Processing

Upon acceptance of your application, the Forest Service will evaluate the proposed use, including effects on the environment.

Cost Recovery Fees:

Forest Service regulations require the Forest Service to assess fees to recover the agency’s processing costs for special use applications and monitoring costs for special use authorizations. These fees are separate from any fee charged for the use and occupancy of NFS lands. Processing fees are based only on costs necessary for processing the application. Monitoring fees are assessed independently of any processing fees and are based only on the estimated time needed for Forest Service monitoring to ensure compliance with the special use authorization.

The processing fee must be paid before the Forest Service will process your application.

Environmental Analysis:

As required by the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws such as the National Historic Preservation Act or the Endangered Species Act, the Forest Service must analyze all relevant issues and document the environmental impacts associated with the proposed use.

As required by the MOBILE NOW Act, the Forest Service has 270 days to grant or deny your application.

Issuance of an Authorization

Authorization:

Once the environmental analysis is completed and if the authorized officer’s decision is to authorize the proposed use, an authorization will be prepared.

For wireless communications uses, one of the following authorizations will be issued depending on the applicant and the proposal:

Forest Service authorizations include standard clauses that are not negotiable.This ensures our authorization documents are legally sufficient to protect the interests of the United Stated and NFS lands and resources; provide clear, concise, and non-burdensome terms for the authorized use; and are consistent within the Agency and, to the extent practicable and authorized by law, with corresponding documents used by other Federal land management agencies.

Communications Site Management Plan:
All approved communications sites must have a current communications site management plan. The communications site management plan provides site specific direction and guidance to Forest Service personnel and communications site users and is incorporated as an appendix to the authorization.

The operation and maintenance of improvements at the communications site and equipment installed in or on the communications facilities must be consistent with the applicable communications site management plan.

Authorization Issuance:
Once the authorization is prepared, it will be sent to the applicant for review and signature. If applicable, you will also receive a Bill for Collection for the annual land use fee or rental fee. You are required to submit payment prior to the authorized officer executing your authorization.

The authorization is not effective until it is signed by the applicant and the authorized officer. Forest Service regulations require the applicant to sign the authorization and return it to the Forest Service within 60 days of its receipt.

If you fail to sign and accept the terms of the authorization within 60 days of its receipt, the Forest Service may terminate your application.

Rental fees for communications uses are based upon two criteria 1) the type of communications use and 2) the population of the largest community served by the communications site.

Each authorization holder must submit an annual inventory certification that lists the holder’s use and all occupants and their use, in or on the communications facility, as of September 30th. This information must be received by the National Billing Team no later than October 15th. The Forest Service uses this information to calculate the following calendar year rental fee.

National Communications Use Billing Team

E-mail: SM.FS.wocommuses@usda.gov

Previous Year Rental Fee Schedules

 

Co-location request for adding new equipment to an existing communications facility

Co-location is defined as the installation of communications equipment in or on an existing communications facility or other structure. If the installation of the equipment requires new construction, it is not considered co-location and should follow the proposal process.

If a communications use authorization allows for the rental of space, the authorization holder may rent space to occupants without obtaining a separate communications use authorization. However, the proposed use must be:

  1. consistent with the applicable communications site management plan, and

  2. compatible with existing communications uses.

Compatibility is determined by the authorization holder submitting a completed Technical Data Sheet, form FS-2700-10 (.pdf, 54 KB) for the proposed new equipment to the Forest Service. The Forest Service will review the request to ensure it is compatible with the communications site management plan. If the proposed use is compatible form FS-2700-10 will be sent to the other authorization holders at the site for review. If there are no potential frequency interference concerns the Forest Service will inform the authorization holder that they can proceed to allow the new equipment to be installed at their facility.

Change of Ownership

A Communication Use Lease in its entirety, including all authorized facilities, is fully assignable. Assignments must have prior written approval of the authorized officer.

For current lessees please follow the Assignments Lease Holder Instructions (.pdf, 98 KB).