Bills would facilitate broadband equipment on public lands, brownfields

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will vote on 28 bills on Tuesday to ease permitting for communications infrastructure, including on public lands.

Republicans have been pushing similar legislation for years to cut red tape for broadband deployment. The measures include limiting National Environmental Policy Act review.

H.R. 2298, the “Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act,” from Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), would exempt broadband projects in rights-of-way from strict environmental review.

Separately, H.R. 4211, the “Brownfields Broadband Deployment Act,” from Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), seeks to encourage the use of brownfields for communications infrastructure.