On September 30, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took two actions focused on modernizing communications services and infrastructure deployment. The first is a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) beginning a broad review of how 911 services should be regulated as technology evolves. The second is a notice that would overhaul the environmental review rules for wireless communications infrastructure. Georgia cities with an interest in public safety communications or infrastructure siting may want to review the full documents and consider participating.
Next Generation 911 Framework
The FCC approved a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) asking how it should adapt its 911 approach as communications technology changes and communities transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911). The goal is to make sure 911 calls go through reliably regardless of the technology a consumer uses.
New services and platforms give the public more ways to reach 911, raising the question of whether traditional 911 regulation still works. The FCC is applying a "first principles" approach and has invited stakeholders to look beyond today's 911 system; asking commenters to examine the core objectives of the FCC’s 911 framework and how those objectives should apply to newer technologies and platforms.
The NOI covers three main areas:
- Modernizing the "911 scope" analysis. This decades-old test determines whether a new technology or service falls under the FCC's 911 rules.
- Harmonizing requirements across service categories that have traditionally been regulated separately.
- Legal authority. The FCC asks how its authority to regulate 911 applies in today's communications ecosystem.
Public comments are due November 16 and reply comments due December 15. Submit your comment through the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System by selecting “Express Comment” and inputting 26-197 as the FCC proceeding. (FCC 26-63, PS Docket No. 26-197)
NEPA Environmental Reviews
The FCC adopted a Report & Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) reforming how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) applies to wireless infrastructure permitting. Because NEPA review can add time and litigation risk to construction, the changes could affect how quickly wireless projects move forward in Georgia cities.
According to industry projections cited by the FCC, the existing NEPA and historic preservation rules would have produced more than $2.2 billion in compliance costs over the next decade. The FCC expects the reforms to speed construction, support jobs and investment, and give businesses more regulatory certainty.
Key Changes Important to Cities
- Defining “major Federal action” (MFA). The statutory definition of MFA, the trigger for NEPA obligations, is codified in the FCC's rules, with clarification of which Commission actions qualify.
- Fewer environmental reviews. Most wireless facilities are no loner treated as federal actions requiring environmental review, unless they require antenna structure registration. The FCC says this removes the requirement for more than 14,800 deployments a year.
- Broader streamlining of reviews. Changes cover categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, environmental impact statements, joint agency actions, and emergency situations.
National Historic Preservation Act
The accompanying FNPRM seeks comment on the FCC's National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) framework. It asks how spectrum licensing relates to the definition of an "undertaking," which triggers NHPA review, and whether to adopt efficiencies in that process. For Georgia cities, the proposed changes could impact how historic downtowns, or other historic sites, are permitted for wireless infrastructure.
You can submit a public comment through the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System by selecting “Express Comment” and inputting 25-217 as the FCC proceeding. (FCC 26-64, WT Docket No. 25-217)