In the absence of a workable alternative on federal tower siting ...

interests are protected.” A draft program agreement that still must be finalized would streamline the review process for communications facilities under Sec. 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. USET told the FCC that it would like to reach agreement on a best practices document that would meet the Commission’s tower siting obligations, assure expedited review for industry and protect tribal sacred sites from unnecessary harm due to tower construction. “Many of the fears expressed by industry, such as that they would have to contact 550 tribes or would have to pay exorbitant costs, are unfounded,” it said. “USET has committed itself to the development of a tribal lands database that would enable industry to quickly and easily identify which, if any, tribes have an interest in a particular area.” As for reimbursement costs for tribes that provide expertise, USET said it was putting together a model schedule to cover tribal costs, “not create a tribal profit center… This reimbursement schedule will be based on what is commonly charged by other governmental organizations, such as the states, when requests are made to their state historic preservation officers.” USET told the FCC the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation had determined that tribes had “special expertise” on the Sec. 106 process and eligible properties that had religious and cultural significance. “Thus, it was deeply troubling to us that you were unwilling to make this acknowledgment,” USET told the FCC.