Pttsburgh Radio: WWCS Facing Fines Over Fencing

Birach Broadcasting is facing a $12,000 fine becuase the FCC says the company has failed to enclose two transmitting towers for its WWCS 540 AM, in Cannonsburg, PA.

The commission says Birach needs to install locked fences for the two-tower array.  Currently, each is surrounded by trees and brush.

During an inspection field agents found “large sections” of the wooden fence surrounding the site had completely fallen onto the ground and a “significant amount” of vegetation had grown over them, indicating they’d been down for quite some time.

District Director David Dombrowski says the Birach has a history of not following its fence rules, saying in the notice that Birach “may have a systemic compliance issue with the antenna structure fencing rules.”

He points out that since 2012 the Bureau has issued $27,000 in penalties for similar problems.

The Bureau has ordered the company to report to the agency within 30 days on the status of all the fences around its towers.

Birach also has a month to ask that the fine be reduced or cancelled.