Capito wants easing of fed permit process to aid broadband expansion

Dec. 8—Easing of federal permitting processes to allow a faster build-up of broadband infrastructure is needed, a group of U.S. senators is saying.

Senators Shelly Moore Capito, R-W.Va., John Barrasso, R-Wyo. and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. has written a letter to Secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce about expanding high-speed internet access in rural communities.

Internet providers are required to obtain permits from the federal government when installing telecommunications infrastructure on federal lands or for projects using federal funding but are facing delays.

In their letter, the senators encourage the Biden administration to streamline the permitting process, close the digital divide and expand high-speed internet in rural areas across the country.

"According to the most recent Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Broadband Deployment report, approximately 14.5 million Americans in rural areas lack access to basic broadband service," the senators wrote. "Many of our communities rely on rights of way and service corridors through federal lands for transportation and essential utilities."

The goal to close the digital divide cannot be accomplished "without improving the permitting process," they said in the letter. "We urge you to build upon recent actions taken by Congress and various federal agencies to streamline permitting on federal land."

According to the letter, the federal government owns 45.9 percent of the land across 11 western states, and about 28 percent nationwide.

"Many of our communities rely on rights of way and service corridors through federal lands for transportation and essential utilities," the senators said. "Furthermore, duplicative permitting processes delay permit approvals for broadband infrastructure, drastically slowing down efforts to close the digital divide, especially on federal lands."

Federal agencies should, as states are required to do now, expedite permitting timelines and waive fees in accordance with existing environmental protection and historic preservation laws.

Delays in permitting mean delays in receiving funding.

"Rural broadband providers have reported significant delays between the notice of an award and receipt of the funds necessary to deploy the proposed broadband networks," the letter said. "While the delays seemingly occur at many steps throughout the process, those posed by environmental and historical preservation reviews significantly contribute to the long wait times leading up to the disbursement of funds to an awardee. We urge you to expedite permitting timelines and waive fees in accordance with existing environmental protection and historic preservation laws."

The result of these delays impose a burden on small businesses and unserved families in many rural areas, the senators said, adding that access to high-speed internet is crucial for economic development, educating children as well as connecting Americans with their healthcare providers through telehealth services.

The letter also included several inquires about future plans to speed up the approval process, whether enough staff will be available to expedite the process and if more funded is needed, and about other details regarding the permitting process.

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com

Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com