Department of Interior works to ease telecommunications requirements
GRAND JUNCTION, Co. (KIFI)-The Department of Interior has announced three new actions by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service to “aggressively increase broadband internet” access in rural communities. Deputy Secretary Katharine MacGregor made the announcement at BLM headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado.
“High-speed internet connectivity is essential for education, economic opportunity, health and public safety – especially as we continue to respond to the challenges of COVID-19,” said Deputy Secretary MacGregor. “Facilitating greater broadband access and reducing wildfire risks for the benefit of rural and underserved communities is truly a bipartisan issue, and I hope these commonsense rules are carried forward by the incoming administration.”
The proposed BLM rule would make it easier for industry to co-locate infrastructure, update its cost recovery fee schedule for rights of way activities, limits on liability and easing agency requirements for maintenance plans.
The proposed U.S. Fish and Wildlife rule would streamline regulations for permitting of rights of ways, reducing an applicant’s time and cost to obtain a permit.
And, the National Park Service has amended its telecommunication site management policies to allow applications for communications sites from companies who own and operate telecommunications towers.
The BLM and Fish and Wildlife rules were delivered to the Federal Register Monday. Publication opens a 60-day comment period for each rule. The proposed changes conform to executive orders signed by President Trump.
