Kelcee Griffis at Law360.com reports that many environmental and historic reviews won't be needed to approve the many cell phone antennae that must be hung to create the nation's 5G cell network, after a March 22 vote by the Federal Communications Commission. The Republicans on the FCC, who outnumber the Democrats 3-2, voted to eliminate the need for National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act reviews for the 5G cell fixtures. The 5G technology should give consumers much faster service, but it also means cell phone antennae will 500 feet apart, instead of several miles. So there could be transmitters on telephone or electric poles, municipal buildings, and all sorts of other structures. Already, many states are passing laws limiting the rental limits for each cell signaling device a carrier puts on a tower or pole. The FCC vote declared the act of deploying small cells does not constitute a “federal undertaking” or a “major federal action,” so no reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Native American tribes and environmental advocates were especially mad about the vote, with one protester interrupting the FCC's meeting. Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel dissented, saying, “A solution to this infrastructure challenge is long overdue — and while today’s decision purports to be one — it misses the mark. It runs roughshod over the rights of our tribal communities and gives short shrift to our most basic environmental and historic preservation values.” Republican Michael O’Rielly disagreed, saying, “For too long, we've allowed a small subset of tribes to unnecessarily slow communications buildout and bring a bad name to the rest of the American tribes that really try to do good faith efforts to work with wireless providers on behalf of consumers.”