Four facilities-based cellular telecommunications companies will pay fines totalling $5.52 million following a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) investigation of compliance with its cellular tower siting regulations. The four firms (em Los Angeles Cellular Telephone Co., Mountain Cellular, GTE Mobilnet of California, and Bay Area Cellular (em had either failed to file applications for siting approval with the CPUC prior to construction or failed to obtain proper permits for construction from other governmental agencies. Revisions to state law effective in 1994 raised the maximum fine for such violations from $2,000 to $20,000 and permitted the CPUC to consider each day of noncompliance as a separate offense. Re Facilities-based Cellular Carriers, I.92-01-002, Nov. 9, 1994 (Cal.P.U.C.). t
Phillip S. Cross is an associate legal editor of PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY.
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