Governor Inslee signed into legislation a bill by Representative Jeff Morris (D-Mount Vernon) to expedite regulatory review on new 4g upgrades to cellular towers and antennas.

House Bill 1183 updates Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act review process regarding wireless structures, exempting those that are constructed atop existing buildings and commercial or industrial areas.

According to Morris, the change will make the permitting process easier, reducing the regulatory burden for telecommunications companies. “It’s been nearly a decade since Washington did major work on our wireless infrastructure,” Morris said. “This is a smart, environmentally safe update to our law that will ensure we have the physical network of towers and antennas necessary to support modern wireless services,” said Morris.

The legislation includes limitations designed to minimize physical change to structures and prevent any environmental degradation.

Under the new law, a wireless structure may not increase the height of the structure by more than 10 percent or 20 feet, or protrude out more than 20 feet.

The law will go into effect July 27, 2013.