Connecting Communities, Protecting Wildlife

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are working together to significantly accelerate Endangered Species Act (ESA) reviews for Internet for All projects. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is driving historic investments in broadband and other infrastructure, including the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The ESA requires agencies to ensure their activities are not likely to jeopardize the existence of threatened or endangered species or destroy or adversely modify their designated critical habitat. The enormous number of projects expected from BEAD means that an innovative, collaborative approach to Endangered Species Act reviews is needed. To accelerate high-speed internet projects while also protecting endangered species, NTIA is partnering with FWS to implement programmatic strategies that reduce the volume of reviews and the time required to complete them, without undermining the conservation of listed species.