Barrasso Introduces Bill to Increase Access to Broadband on Federal Land

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced legislation to increase access to high-speed internet on federal land. The CLOSE THE GAP Act will streamline the permitting process for broadband and telecommunications infrastructure on federal land to expand access to high-speed internet in rural areas. The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.).

"In Wyoming, half of the land is owned by the federal government. Many areas face a significant gap in internet service. In some cases, there is no service at all," said Senator Barrasso. "It shouldn't take years for internet service providers to get approval for broadband infrastructure projects on federal land. The CLOSE THE GAP Act will streamline the federal permitting process to improve internet access for rural communities and emergency services in Wyoming and across the West."

Permitting for broadband projects and telecommunications infrastructure on federal land can take up to 48 months. These delays jeopardize broadband projects, increase costs, and limit access to high-speed internet and vital telehealth services.

WTA - Advocates for Rural Broadband released the following statement in support of the legislation:

"The small, rural broadband providers we represent often face delays of two to three years to get broadband projects approved. Not only does this lengthen the time that customers wait to get service, but it adds hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of the projects. The CLOSE THE GAP Act is a measured approach that, among other things, will reduce the wait time in instances where federal land has already been surveyed and approved for communications use. We appreciate Senator Barrasso's work on this bill and urge the Senate to pass it."

Brian Woody, President of the Wyoming Telecommunications Association, released the following statement of support for the legislation:

"The Wyoming Telecommunications Association commends Senator Barrasso for introducing the CLOSE THE GAP Act. By streamlining broadband permitting on Federal land, this legislation will help our members expand reliable, high-quality services that are essential for education, healthcare, public safety, and economic growth across the Rocky Mountain West."

Jeff England, Chief Financial Officer of Silver Star, released the following statement in support of the legislation:

"As a Wyoming resident and broadband provider, I am extremely grateful for - and proud of - the work Senator Barrasso and his staff have done in advancing important legislative solutions to address permitting challenges in the CLOSE THE GAP Act. Between short construction seasons, navigating difficult terrain, and covering vast distances, serving residents in rural Wyoming has enough challenges without the added complexities of permitting practices that are outdated, inefficient or unnecessary. Senator Barrasso's proposed legislation is an important step in removing burdensome requirements making broadband deployment more easily accomplished, more affordable to construct, and in the end, more broadly available and more affordable to the end user. I urge swift action in the Senate and look forward to the improvements the CLOSE THE GAP Act promises for all rural Americans."

Eric J. Woody, CEO of Union Wireless, released the following statement of support for the legislation:

"Union Wireless commends Senator Barrasso's efforts to help Union provide better services to its customers."

Rob Johnstone, CEO of Range, released the following statement in support of the legislation:

"I would like to thank Senator Barrasso for his leadership on federal permitting reform efforts. As a broadband and middle mile transport provider with a large geographic footprint in sparsely populated mountain states with large tracts of federal land, our biggest impediments in providing affordable broadband service are often the delays and costs associated with federal permitting. The CLOSE THE GAP Act would streamline federal permitting in a practical and reasonable manner, thereby reducing our deployment costs and increasing broadband availability and affordability. We are hopeful for quick passage of this incredibly important piece of legislation."

Jonathan Spalter, President and CEO of USTelecom, released the following statement in support of the legislation:

"Senator Barrasso's CLOSE THE GAP Act will help us build the networks Americans need. Every day that a permit to expand broadband access sits stuck in a federal queue is a day a community waits for the connectivity it was already promised. Broadband providers are particularly plagued by permitting delays when trying to access federal lands. The CLOSE THE GAP Act takes direct aim at the problem by easing the burdensome requirements on land that has been reviewed in previously approved permits.

Every American connected to high-speed internet is another win towards our shared prosperity. This bill helps us do it faster. On behalf of America's broadband providers, I urge swift action in the Senate."

Kelly Cole, CTIA Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, released the following statement of support for the legislation:

"We commend Senator Barrasso for reintroducing the CLOSE THE GAP Act, a commonsense solution to modernizing broadband infrastructure deployment on federal lands. Removing these barriers to buildout is essential, not just to close the digital divide, but to ensure America's wireless networks can power the AI economy. U.S. leadership in next-generation wireless depends on deploying infrastructure faster, and this legislation helps make that possible."

Mike Romano, CEO of NTCA, released the following statement in support of the legislation:

"NTCA members have an extensive history of network deployment on federal lands and can attest to the many inefficiencies and delays that arise when dealing with federal permitting requirements. The CLOSE THE GAP ACT takes a step in the right direction to proactively streamline federal permitting requirements and prohibit costly delays. I applaud Senator Barrasso for his commitment to ensuring rural communities can get connected and stay connected."

Background:

In order to streamline the permitting process for broadband infrastructure, the CLOSE THE GAP Act requires federal land management agencies to issue new regulations that would streamline the process for broadband applications on federal land. The bill also promotes online application tracking for broadband infrastructure projects through the existing Permitting Dashboard established under the FAST Act.

The bill also accelerates broadband deployment by expanding categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and limiting additional environmental and historic preservation reviews for certain broadband projects on federal land. The exclusion criteria would apply to:

• Projects involving existing public safety communications facilities on federal land
• Projects located on previously analyzed federal land
• Federal land with existing authorized utilities, powerline facilities, or roads

The bill would establish online portals for submission of Standard Form-299 applications. It would also establish a special account at Treasury for each land management agency to deposit cost recovery fees for their own use related specifically to broadband deployment. Lastly, the bill would establish a working group between each federal land management agency to periodically meet to coordinate and expedite the review of applications.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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