FCC Aims to Accelerate Permitting & High-Speed Infrastructure Builds

The Federal Communications Commission launched a rulemaking to accelerate infrastructure builds by modernizing its environmental regulations. As part of the FCC’s Build America Agenda, this proceeding aims to cut red tape and unleash new infrastructure projects through a comprehensive review of the FCC’s National Environmental Protection Act rules. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted will examine the FCC’s environmental regulations to align them with the amended NEPA statute, speed up the federal permitting process, support faster infrastructure deployment, and ensure that the Commission’s regulations are clear. The Notice will also take a fresh look at the FCC’s National Historic Preservation Act regulations and other aspects of its environmental regulations. The FCC will seek comment on the terms and exclusions in the updated NEPA statute, including “major federal action,” which triggers federal agencies’ NEPA obligations. It will also ask for input on how the updated NEPA statute should be applied to the Commission’s regulations and on what changes are needed.