The FCC granted the mutually exclusive application for an non-commercial educational (NCE) FM construction permit to the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association. The Warner Springs station on 89.9 MHz at Hot Springs Mountain was proposed as part of the NCE application window in November 2021.

The FCC had awarded the CP tentatively on April 19, 2022 over that proposed by The Center for Economic Justice nearby and co-channel. Mutually exclusive application rules would normally favor a Native American tribe application, but due to the size, geography, and distribution of tribal lands in northeast San Diego county, the rules didn’t strictly meet the requirements of favoritism. The SCTCA successfully argued for a waiver in the rules to gain the CP. The tentative order took effect after a comment period expired on May 19.