Sprint agreed to pay $10 million to settle a spat with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over allegations the operator constructed wireless tower sites without conducting proper reviews.

The FCC said Sprint failed to complete environmental and historical reviews required by law before allowing its contractor, Mobilitie, to move ahead with construction of wireless facilities in 2017. The Commission did not specify how many sites were built without the appropriate reviews.

In addition to the $10 million penalty, Sprint agreed to implement a compliance plan to avoid future violations. Mobilitie separately agreed a $1.6 million settlement covering its role in skirting the rules.

The settlements come just after the FCC approved new cell siting measures that exempts small cells from environmental and historic reviews, and streamlines the review process for larger wireless sites. But Christopher Killion, acting deputy chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, said in a statement it is critical operators and contractors don’t duck the rules which exist at the time of construction.