§923. Identification of reallocable frequencies

(a) Identification required

The Secretary shall, within 18 months after August 10, 1993, and within 6 months after August 5, 1997, prepare and submit to the President and the Congress a report identifying and recommending for reallocation bands of frequencies-

(1) that are allocated on a primary basis for Federal Government use;

(2) that are not required for the present or identifiable future needs of the Federal Government;

(3) that can feasibly be made available, as of the date of submission of the report or at any time during the next 15 years, for use under the 1934 Act [47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.] (other than for Federal Government stations under section 305 of the 1934 Act [47 U.S.C. 305]);

(4) the transfer of which (from Federal Government use) will not result in costs to the Federal Government, or losses of services or benefits to the public, that are excessive in relation to the benefits to the public that may be provided by non-Federal licensees; and

(5) that are most likely to have the greatest potential for productive uses and public benefits under the 1934 Act [47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.] if allocated for non-Federal use.

(b) Minimum amount of spectrum recommended

(1) Initial reallocation report

In accordance with the provisions of this section, the Secretary shall recommend for reallocation in the initial report required by subsection (a) of this section, for use other than by Federal Government stations under section 305 of the 1934 Act (47 U.S.C. 305), bands of frequencies that in the aggregate span not less than 200 megahertz, that are located below 5 gigahertz, and that meet the criteria specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this section. Such bands of frequencies shall include bands of frequencies, located below 3 gigahertz, that span in the aggregate not less than 100 megahertz.

(2) Mixed uses permitted to be counted

Bands of frequencies which a report of the Secretary under subsection (a) or (d)(1) of this section recommends be partially retained for use by Federal Government stations, but which are also recommended to be reallocated to be made available under the 1934 Act [47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.] for use by non-Federal stations, may be counted toward the minimum spectrum required by paragraph (1) or (3) of this subsection, except that-

(A) the bands of frequencies counted under this paragraph may not count toward more than one-half of the minimums required by paragraph (1) or (3) of this subsection;

(B) a band of frequencies may not be counted under this paragraph unless the assignments of the band to Federal Government stations under section 305 of the 1934 Act (47 U.S.C. 305) are limited by geographic area, by time, or by other means so as to guarantee that the potential use to be made by such Federal Government stations is substantially less (as measured by geographic area, time, or otherwise) than the potential use to be made by non-Federal stations; and

(C) the operational sharing permitted under this paragraph shall be subject to the interference regulations prescribed by the Commission pursuant to section 305(a) of the 1934 Act [47 U.S.C. 305(a)] and to coordination procedures that the Commission and the Secretary shall jointly establish and implement to ensure against harmful interference.

(3) Second reallocation report

In accordance with the provisions of this section, the Secretary shall recommend for reallocation in the second report required by subsection (a) of this section, for use other than by Federal Government stations under section 305 of the 1934 Act (47 U.S.C. 305), a band or bands of frequencies that-

(A) in the aggregate span not less than 12 megahertz;

(B) are located below 3 gigahertz; and

(C) meet the criteria specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Criteria for identification

(1) Needs of the Federal Government

In determining whether a band of frequencies meets the criteria specified in subsection (a)(2) of this section, the Secretary shall-

(A) consider whether the band of frequencies is used to provide a communications service that is or could be available from a commercial provider or other vendor;

(B) seek to promote-

(i) the maximum practicable reliance on commercially available substitutes;

(ii) the sharing of frequencies (as permitted under subsection (b)(2) of this section);

(iii) the development and use of new communications technologies; and

(iv) the use of nonradiating communications systems where practicable; and

(C) seek to avoid-

(i) serious degradation of Federal Government services and operations;

(ii) excessive costs to the Federal Government and users of Federal Government services; and

(iii) excessive disruption of existing use of Federal Government frequencies by amateur radio licensees.

(2) Feasibility of use

In determining whether a frequency band meets the criteria specified in subsection (a)(3) of this section, the Secretary shall-

(A) assume that the frequency will be assigned by the Commission under section 303 of the 1934 Act (47 U.S.C. 303) within 15 years;

(B) assume reasonable rates of scientific progress and growth of demand for telecommunications services;

(C) seek to include frequencies which can be used to stimulate the development of new technologies; and

(D) consider the immediate and recurring costs to reestablish services displaced by the reallocation of spectrum.

(3) Analysis of benefits

In determining whether a band of frequencies meets the criteria specified in subsection (a)(5) of this section, the Secretary shall consider-

(A) the extent to which equipment is or will be available that is capable of utilizing the band;

(B) the proximity of frequencies that are already assigned for commercial or other non-Federal use;

(C) the extent to which, in general, commercial users could share the frequency with amateur radio licensees; and

(D) the activities of foreign governments in making frequencies available for experimentation or commercial assignments in order to support their domestic manufacturers of equipment.

(4) Power agency frequencies

(A) Applicability of criteria

The criteria specified by subsection (a) of this section shall be deemed not to be met for any purpose under this subchapter with regard to any frequency assignment to, or any frequency assignment used by, a Federal power agency for the purpose of withdrawing that assignment.

(B) Mixed use eligibility

The frequencies assigned to any Federal power agency may only be eligible for mixed use under subsection (b)(2) of this section in geographically separate areas, but in those cases where a frequency is to be shared by an affected Federal power agency and a non-Federal user, such use by the non-Federal user shall not cause harmful interference to the affected Federal power agency or adversely affect the reliability of its power system.

(C) "Federal power agency" defined

As used in this paragraph, the term "Federal power agency" means the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, the Southeastern Power Administration, or the Alaska Power Administration.

(5) Limitation on reallocation

None of the frequencies recommended for reallocation in the reports required by this subsection shall have been recommended, prior to August 10, 1993, for reallocation to non-Federal use by international agreement.

(d) Procedure for identification of reallocable bands of frequencies

(1) Submission of preliminary identification to Congress

Within 6 months after August 10, 1993, the Secretary shall prepare, make publicly available, and submit to the President, the Congress, and the Commission a report which makes a preliminary identification of reallocable bands of frequencies which meet the criteria established by this section.

(2) Public comment

The Secretary shall provide interested persons with the opportunity to submit, within 90 days after the date of its publication, written comment on the preliminary report required by paragraph (1). The Secretary shall immediately transmit a copy of any such comment to the Commission.

(3) Comment and recommendations from Commission

The Commission shall, within 90 days after the conclusion of the period for comment provided pursuant to paragraph (2), submit to the Secretary the Commission's analysis of such comments and the Commission's recommendations for responses to such comments, together with such other comments and recommendations as the Commission deems appropriate.

(4) Direct discussions

The Secretary shall encourage and provide opportunity for direct discussions among commercial representatives and Federal Government users of the spectrum to aid the Secretary in determining which frequencies to recommend for reallocation. The Secretary shall provide notice to the public and the Commission of any such discussions, including the name or names of any businesses or other persons represented in such discussions. A representative of the Commission (and of the Secretary at the election of the Secretary) shall be permitted to attend any such discussions. The Secretary shall provide the public and the Commission with an opportunity to comment on the results of any such discussions prior to the submission of the initial report required by subsection (a) of this section.

(e) Timetable for reallocation and limitation

(1) Timetable required

The Secretary shall, as part of the reports required by subsections (a) and (d)(1) of this section, include a timetable that recommends effective dates by which the President shall withdraw or limit assignments of the frequencies specified in such reports.

(2) Expedited reallocation

(A) Required reallocation

The Secretary shall, as part of the report required by subsection (d)(1) of this section, specifically identify and recommend for immediate reallocation bands of frequencies that in the aggregate span not less than 50 megahertz, that meet the criteria described in subsection (a) of this section, and that can be made available for reallocation immediately upon issuance of the report required by subsection (d)(1) of this section. Such bands of frequencies shall include bands of frequencies, located below 3 gigahertz, that in the aggregate span not less than 25 megahertz.

(B) Permitted reallocation

The Secretary may, as part of such report, identify and recommend bands of frequencies for immediate reallocation for a mixed use pursuant to subsection (b)(2) of this section, but such bands of frequencies may not count toward the minimums required by subparagraph (A).

(3) Delayed effective dates

In setting the recommended delayed effective dates, the Secretary shall-

(A) consider the need to reallocate bands of frequencies as early as possible, taking into account the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 925(b) of this title;

(B) be based on the useful remaining life of equipment that has been purchased or contracted for to operate on identified frequencies;

(C) consider the need to coordinate frequency use with other nations; and

(D) take into account the relationship between the costs to the Federal Government of changing to different frequencies and the benefits that may be obtained from commercial and other non-Federal uses of the reassigned frequencies.

(f) Additional reallocation report

If the Secretary receives a notice from the Commission pursuant to section 3002(c)(5) of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President, the Commission, and the Congress a report recommending for reallocation for use other than by Federal Government stations under section 305 of the 1934 Act (47 U.S.C. 305), bands of frequencies that are suitable for the licensees identified in the Commission's notice. The Commission shall, not later than one year after receipt of such report, prepare, submit to the President and the Congress, and implement, a plan for the immediate allocation and assignment of such frequencies under the 1934 Act [47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.] to incumbent licensees described in the Commission's notice.

(g) Relocation of Federal Government stations

(1) In general

(A) Authority of Federal entities to accept compensation

In order to expedite the commercial use of the electromagnetic spectrum and notwithstanding section 3302(b) of title 31, any Federal entity which operates a Federal Government station may accept from any person payment of the expenses of relocating the Federal entity's operations from one or more frequencies to another frequency or frequencies, including the costs of any modification, replacement, or reissuance of equipment, facilities, operating manuals, or regulations incurred by that entity. Any such Federal entity which proposes to so relocate shall notify the NTIA, which in turn shall notify the Commission, before the auction concerned of the marginal costs anticipated to be associated with such relocation or with modifications necessary to accommodate prospective licensees. The Commission in turn shall notify potential bidders of the estimated relocation or modification costs based on the geographic area covered by the proposed licenses before the auction.

(B) Requirement to compensate Federal entities

Any person on whose behalf a Federal entity incurs costs under subparagraph (A) shall compensate the Federal entity in advance for such costs. Such compensation may take the form of a cash payment or in-kind compensation.

(C) Disposition of payments

(i) Payment by electronic funds transfer

A person making a cash payment under this paragraph shall make the cash payment by depositing the amount of the payment by electronic funds transfer in the account of the Federal entity concerned in the Treasury of the United States or in another account as authorized by law.

(ii) Availability

Subject to the provisions of authorization Acts and appropriations Acts, amounts deposited under this subparagraph shall be available to the Federal entity concerned to pay directly the costs of relocation under this paragraph, to repay or make advances to appropriations or funds which do or will initially bear all or part of such costs, or to refund excess sums when necessary.

(D) Application to certain other relocations

The provisions of this paragraph also apply to any Federal entity that operates a Federal Government station assigned to used ¹ electromagnetic spectrum identified for reallocation under subsection (a) of this section if before August 5, 1997, the Commission has not identified that spectrum for service or assigned licenses or otherwise authorized service for that spectrum.

(E) Implementation procedures

The NTIA and the Commission shall develop procedures for the implementation of this paragraph, which procedures shall include a process for resolving any differences that arise between the Federal Government and commercial licensees regarding estimates of relocation or modification costs under this paragraph.

(F) Inapplicability to certain relocations

With the exception of the band of frequencies located at 1710–1755 megahertz, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to Federal spectrum identified for reallocation in the first reallocation report submitted to the President and Congress under subsection (a) of this section.

(2) Process for relocation

Any person seeking to relocate a Federal Government station that has been assigned a frequency within a band that has been allocated for mixed Federal and non-Federal use, or that has been scheduled for reallocation to non-Federal use, may submit a petition for such relocation to NTIA. The NTIA shall limit or terminate the Federal Government station's operating license within 6 months after receiving the petition if the following requirements are met:

(A) the person seeking relocation of the Federal Government station has guaranteed to pay all relocation costs incurred by the Federal entity, including all engineering, equipment, site acquisition and construction, and regulatory fee costs;

(B) all activities necessary for implementing the relocation have been completed, including construction of replacement facilities (if necessary and appropriate) and identifying and obtaining new frequencies for use by the relocated Federal Government station (where such station is not relocating to spectrum reserved exclusively for Federal use);

(C) any necessary replacement facilities, equipment modifications, or other changes have been implemented and tested to ensure that the Federal Government station is able to successfully accomplish its purposes; and

(D) NTIA has determined that the proposed use of the spectrum frequency band to which the Federal entity will relocate its operations is-

(i) consistent with obligations undertaken by the United States in international agreements and with United States national security and public safety interests; and

(ii) suitable for the technical characteristics of the band and consistent with other uses of the band.

In exercising its authority under clause (i) of this subparagraph, NTIA shall consult with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, or other appropriate officers of the Federal Government.

(3) Right to reclaim

If within one year after the relocation the Federal entity demonstrates to the Commission that the new facilities or spectrum are not comparable to the facilities or spectrum from which the Federal Government station was relocated, the person who filed the petition under paragraph (2) for such relocation shall take reasonable steps to remedy any defects or pay the Federal entity for the expenses incurred in returning the Federal Government station to the spectrum from which such station was relocated.

(h) Federal action to expedite spectrum transfer

Any Federal Government station which operates on electromagnetic spectrum that has been identified in any reallocation report under this section shall, to the maximum extent practicable through the use of the authority granted under subsection (g) of this section and any other applicable provision of law, take action to relocate its spectrum use to other frequencies that are reserved for Federal use or to consolidate its spectrum use with other Federal Government stations in a manner that maximizes the spectrum available for non-Federal use.

(i) "Federal entity" defined

For purposes of this section, the term "Federal entity" means any department, agency, or other instrumentality of the Federal Government that utilizes a Government station license obtained under section 305 of the 1934 Act (47 U.S.C. 305).

(Pub. L. 102–538, title I, §113, as added Pub. L. 103–66, title VI, §6001(a)(3), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 380 ; amended Pub. L. 105–33, title III, §3002(d)(1), (e)(1)–(3), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 262 , 264, 265; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title X, §1064(c), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2132 ; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, §1062(c)(2), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 768 .)

References in Text

For definition of the 1934 Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3), (5), (b)(2), and (f), see section 921(3) of this title.

Section 3002(c)(5) of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, referred to in subsec. (f), is section 3002(c)(5) of Pub. L. 105–33, which is set out as a note under section 925 of this title.

Amendments

1999-Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 106–65 substituted "12 megahertz" for "20 megahertz".

1998-Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 105–261 designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted subpar. heading, substituted "Any such Federal entity which proposes to so relocate shall notify the NTIA, which in turn shall notify the Commission, before the auction concerned of the marginal costs anticipated to be associated with such relocation or with modifications necessary to accommodate prospective licensees. The Commission in turn shall notify potential bidders of the estimated relocation or modification costs based on the geographic area covered by the proposed licenses before the auction." for "Such payments may be in advance of relocation and may be in cash or in kind. Any such payment in cash shall be deposited in the account of such Federal entity in the Treasury of the United States or in a separate account authorized by law. Funds deposited according to this paragraph shall be available, without appropriation or fiscal year limitation, only for such expenses of the Federal entity for which such funds were deposited under this paragraph.", and added subpars. (B) to (F).

1997-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–33, §3002(e)(1), inserted "and within 6 months after August 5, 1997" after "August 10, 1993," in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 105–33, §3002(e)(2)(A), (B), substituted "Initial reallocation report" for "In general" in heading and inserted "in the initial report required by subsection (a) of this section" after "recommend for reallocation" in text.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 105–33, §3002(e)(2)(C), inserted "or (3)" after "paragraph (1)" in two places.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 105–33, §3002(e)(2)(D), added par. (3).

Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 105–33, §3002(e)(3), substituted "initial report" for "final report".

Subsecs. (f) to (i). Pub. L. 105–33, §3002(d)(1), added subsecs. (f) to (i).

Reports on Costs of Relocations

Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title X, §1064(d), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2133 , provided that: "The head of each department or agency of the Federal Government shall include in the annual budget submission of such department or agency to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a report assessing the costs to be incurred by such department or agency as a result of any frequency relocations of such department or agency that are anticipated under section 113 of the National Telecommunications [and] Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 923) as of the date of such report."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 309, 924, 925 of this title.

¹ So in original.