Antenna towers play a crucial role in our communication systems, but did you know that they need to meet specific safety requirements? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been granted authority by Congress to regulate these towers and ensure they do not pose a threat to air navigation. In this article, we’ll explore how the FCC collaborates with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish mandatory standards for antenna tower lighting and painting. Let’s dive in and understand how these regulations impact tower construction and maintenance.
- Collaborative Efforts: FCC and FAA Recommendations: The FCC’s rules regarding antenna tower safety are based on recommendations from the FAA. While the FAA’s guidelines are advisory, the FCC makes them mandatory. This collaboration aims to guarantee that towers adhere to essential safety standards, ensuring smooth and secure air navigation.
- FAA Determination and Compliance: Before granting permission to build an antenna tower, the FCC requires an FAA determination that the tower will not pose an aviation hazard. The FAA carefully assesses factors such as tower location, height, and safety lighting and marking. This determination is vital to prioritize air navigation safety.
- Meeting FAA Standards: Every new or modified antenna tower structure must conform to the FAA’s painting and lighting recommendations provided in the FAA’s “no hazard” determination. To ensure compliance, towers must be cleared by the FAA and filed with the FCC. If the FAA identifies the tower as a physical hazard, the FCC will not approve the construction permit application.
- Preferences and Environmental Impact: In some cases, individuals may have preferences or requests for deviations from the established standards. These requests should be submitted to the FAA regional office responsible for the tower’s location. The FAA conducts an aeronautical study, considering proposed deviations or preferences. Additionally, when the FAA approves the use of high-intensity white lights instead of red lights and painting, and the tower is located in a residential area, the FCC requires the applicant to prepare an environmental assessment.
- Inspection and Enforcement: The FCC conducts inspections to ensure antenna towers comply with marking and lighting requirements. While there is no strict height limit, both the FCC and FAA discourage structures over 2,000 feet above ground level. The FCC has a policy against towers exceeding this height, presuming it inconsistent with the public interest. Applicants seeking taller towers must provide a detailed showing to overcome this presumption and demonstrate the public interest reasons.
- FAA Determination and Compliance: The FAA rules explicitly state a presumption against structures exceeding 2,000 feet in height. Such structures are considered hazards to air navigation and inefficient use of airspace. Applicants seeking to construct towers above this height must submit a detailed showing to overcome the presumption. Only in exceptional cases, where the FAA concludes that the proposed tower is safe and efficient, will a determination of no hazard be issued.
Penn-Tech can assist you in navigating these requirements and ensuring compliance for your antenna tower projects – Contact us today!
Thomas Hedberg