An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining a presence of user equipment (UE) in relation to small cell radio(s) of a small cell network based on information obtained through the small cell network and one or more parallel networks; and adjusting transmit power for the small cell radio(s) based on the presence of UE in relation to the small cell radio(s). Another example method can include determining that a UE in cell paging channel mode has changed its selected macro cell radio; determining that the UE is allowed service on a small cell radio located in a vicinity of a macro cell coverage area of a selected macro cell radio; and adjusting a transmit power of the small cell radio based on a presence of the UE in a surrounding macro cell coverage area of the small cell radio.