Regulatory and Social Implications of Electromagnetic Compatibility: A Brief Survey of United States Law

The planning and implementation of telecommunications facilities must increasingly take into account governmental regulations. In the United States, the movement to regulate the potentially harmful biological effects of radio frequency ("RF") radiation has been a populist phenomenon. Communities unfamiliar with terrestrial microwave, radar, and satellite communications technology initially aired their concerns through local governmental bodies charged with regulating land use. As the widespread nature of these concerns became apparent, state governments, and city governments to a lesser extent, responded by adopting statutes and regulations concerning RF emissions.