On Monday, January 6, 2020, the Enforcement Bureau (“Bureau”) released an Order announcing it has entered into a Consent Decree with Teton Communications, Inc. (“Teton”), resolving the Bureau’s investigation into allegations that Teton constructed a wireless facility without complying with the Commission’s environmental and historic preservation rules, including rules implementing the NEPA and NHPA. Teton admits it violated the rules, will implement a robust compliance plan to ensure it does not violate these rules in the future, and will pay a $20,000 civil penalty.
Specifically, the Bureau finds that Teton violated the rules by failing to complete the required Tribal consultation process and without conclusion of the mandated State Historic Preservation Office review before it initiated construction of a proposed wireless facility in Idaho at a culturally significant location. Teton also failed to resolve concerns raised by the Tribal Historic Preservation Office prior to breaking ground on the wireless facility.
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