II 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6533 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 17, 2010 
Received 
AN ACT 
To implement the recommendations of the Federal Commu-
nications Commission report to the Congress regarding 
low-power FM service, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Local Community 
Radio Act of 2010’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT. 
Section 632 of the Departments of Commerce, Jus-
tice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Ap-
propriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106–553; 114 Stat. 
2762A–111), is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 632. (a) The Federal Communications Com-
mission shall modify the rules authorizing the operation 
of low-power FM radio stations, as proposed in MM Dock-
et No. 99–25, to— 
‘‘(1) prescribe protection for co-channels and 
first- and second-adjacent channels; and 
‘‘(2) prohibit any applicant from obtaining a 
low-power FM license if the applicant has engaged 
in any manner in the unlicensed operation of any 
station in violation of section 301 of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301). 
‘‘(b) Any license that was issued by the Federal Com-
munications Commission to a low-power FM station prior 
to April 2, 2001, and that does not comply with the modi-
fications adopted by the Commission in MM Docket No. 
99–25 on April 2, 2001, shall remain invalid.’’. 
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SEC. 3. MINIMUM DISTANCE SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Communications 
Commission shall modify its rules to eliminate third-adja-
cent minimum distance separation requirements be-
tween— 
(1) low-power FM stations; and 
(2) full-service FM stations, FM translator sta-
tions, and FM booster stations. 
(b) RESTRICTION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Federal Communica-
tions Commission shall not amend its rules to reduce 
the minimum co-channel and first- and second-adja-
cent channel distance separation requirements in ef-
fect on the date of enactment of this Act between— 
(A) low-power FM stations; and 
(B) full-service FM stations. 
(2) WAIVER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (1), the Federal Communications Com-
mission may grant a waiver of the second-adja-
cent channel distance separation requirement to 
low-power FM stations that establish, using 
methods of predicting interference taking into 
account all relevant factors, including terrain- 
sensitive propagation models, that their pro-
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posed operations will not result in interference 
to any authorized radio service. 
(B) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(i) SUSPENSION.—Any low-power FM 
station that receives a waiver under sub-
paragraph (A) shall be required to suspend 
operation immediately upon notification by 
the Federal Communications Commission 
that it is causing interference to the recep-
tion of an existing or modified full-service 
FM station without regard to the location 
of the station receiving interference. 
(ii) 
ELIMINATION
OF
INTER-
FERENCE.—A low-power FM station de-
scribed in clause (i) shall not resume oper-
ation until such interference has been 
eliminated or it can demonstrate to the 
Federal Communications Commission that 
the interference was not due to emissions 
from the low-power FM station, except 
that such station may make short test 
transmissions during the period of sus-
pended operation to check the efficacy of 
remedial measures. 
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(iii) NOTIFICATION.—Upon receipt of 
a complaint of interference from a low- 
power FM station operating pursuant to a 
waiver authorized under subparagraph (A), 
the Federal Communications Commission 
shall notify the identified low-power FM 
station by telephone or other electronic 
communication within 1 business day. 
SEC. 4. PROTECTION OF RADIO READING SERVICES. 
The Federal Communications Commission shall com-
ply with its existing minimum distance separation require-
ments for full-service FM stations, FM translator stations, 
and FM booster stations that broadcast radio reading 
services via an analog subcarrier frequency to avoid poten-
tial interference by low-power FM stations. 
SEC. 5. ENSURING AVAILABILITY OF SPECTRUM FOR LOW- 
POWER FM STATIONS. 
The Federal Communications Commission, when li-
censing new FM translator stations, FM booster stations, 
and low-power FM stations, shall ensure that— 
(1) licenses are available to FM translator sta-
tions, FM booster stations, and low-power FM sta-
tions; 
(2) such decisions are made based on the needs 
of the local community; and 
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