Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Mayors Protest FCC Satellite Dish Rule

Complaining that their cities could be overrun by unsightly satellite dishes, the United States Conference of Mayors urged the federal government not to abrogate their power to restrict where dishes can be erected. The FCC rule, scheduled to take effect this month, preempts “unreasonable” restrictions on all satellite dishes, making it easier for people or companies to install them in back yards, roofs or elsewhere. The rule allows cities to obtain waivers from the FCC rule, a process Victor Ashe, mayor of Knoxville, Tenn., called “totally unacceptable and burdensome.” The rule also gives cities an opportunity to regulate when there is a “clearly defined health or safety objective.”