05/06/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/06/2024 10:24
"Regulations and red tape are making it harder for us to deploy broadband in rural America," said Johnson. "My bill will reduce unnecessary red tape so we can get more and better service across our country."
"Permitting approval on federal lands is one of the biggest obstacles for broadband deployment. It is a major roadblock for achieving universal connectivity and could compromise the success of federal and state broadband funding programs like BEAD and ReConnect. We appreciate Representative Johnson's leadership on this bill to ensure broadband providers can complete projects on USFS lands efficiently and responsibly. It serves as an important step toward closing the digital divide for many communities in South Dakota and across the country," said Brandon Heiner, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for USTelecom.
The lengthy permitting process on federal lands has prevented the federal government from improving broadband access, even though billions of dollars are available to improve broadband deployment. The FOREST Act expedites broadband projects in places where the government has already conducted the appropriate environmental and historical preservation reviews.
Specifically, the FOREST Act:
The FOREST Act is cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and supported by USTelecom and NCTA - The Internet and Television Association.
Read full bill text here.