A move to streamline the application process for broadband deployment is picking up steam in Congress.
Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have heard testimony from a wide range of industry groups contending that the current process is not just unnecessarily lengthy, but also chaotic.
According to an Energy and Commerce staff memo, new projects must not only secure the usual zoning and construction permits, but also endure lengthy environmental and historic preservation reviews.
“The unpredictable timelines for permit approvals and high fees for processing applications have made it more expensive and burdensome to deploy broadband infrastructure,” continues the memo.
While historic new levels of federal funding for broadband construction have been made available through the 2021 Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act, the permitting process has served as an obstacle to new projects, asserts Cathy McMorris Rogers, chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
“We need to lift these regulatory burdens, cut the red tape, and roll out the red carpet,” said Rogers, adding that unless the permitting process is simplified, rural America will be left behind, while children will “continue to go without access to educational resources.”
A number of bills presently being considered in Congress would ease restrictions on projects on federal land and remove historic preservation and environmental reviews, while also implementing what are called “shot clocks” designed to limit how long broadband infrastructure applications can be reviewed.
The move to shorten the broadband project review process has won the support of a number of prominent industry groups, including the National Association of Realtors.
By Garry Boulard
