NTIA Launches Permitting and Environmental Mapping Tool

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a new mapping tool, the NTIA Permitting and Environmental Information Application, to help grant recipients and others deploying infrastructure identify permit requirements and avoid potential environmental impacts when connecting a particular location to high-speed Internet service.  The application is designed to help federal broadband grant recipients and subgrantees identify and understand the types of permits they will need and plan routes for their broadband deployments. Identifying permit requirements early, initiating pre-application coordination with permitting agencies, and avoiding environmental impacts help drive successful infrastructure projects. NTIA’s public release of the application supports government-wide efforts to improve permitting and explore how online and digital technologies can promote efficient environmental reviews. A tutorial on how to use the map is available on the NTIA YouTube channel. In the coming weeks, NTIA will announce additional permitting initiatives to support federal broadband deployment projects.