Sens Barrasso and Sinema Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Broadband on Federal Land

US Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced the CLOSE THE GAP Act. Permitting for broadband projects and telecommunications infrastructure on federal land can delay efforts for up to 48 months, jeopardizing broadband projects, increasing costs, and limiting access to high-speed internet and vital telehealth services. The Act will:

• Modernize and streamline the permitting process to help expand access to high-speed internet and close the digital divide in rural communities.
• Promote online application tracking for broadband infrastructure projects through the existing Permitting Dashboard established under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.
• Improve public safety on federal land by directing the establishment of categorical exclusions for improvements to existing infrastructure that would improve public safety capacity. 
• Provide exemptions from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for broadband infrastructure that resides on land that has previously received an approved permit to install broadband infrastructure.
• Provide exemptions from NEPA and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requirements for projects that involve the collocation of new radios on existing towers, and the removal or replacement of radios on existing towers.
• Establish a special account at the Department of the Treasury for each land management agency to deposit cost recovery fees for their own use related specifically to broadband deployment. 
• Establish a working group between each federal land management agency to periodically meet to coordinate and expedite the review of applications.