As summer heats up in Washington, D.C., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is not taking a brea,k according to a recent blog post by the agency. Embarking on its "Build America Agenda," the FCC is set to rev up its activity, particularly at its July open meeting, where it will review proposals aimed at modernizing America's communication infrastructure. This includes transitioning from outdated copper line networks to more contemporary ones and simplifying access to utility poles, factors critical to broadband expansion.
Developments on this path are unfolding swiftly. The FCC is poised to target what some deem to be one of the stiffest barriers to construction: "needless and costly environmental reviews." Citing a process with layers of bureaucratic inefficiency, they suggest that environmental impact assessments, as mandated under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), take, on average, longer than the actual construction of iconic structures like the Golden Gate Bridge used to. According to the FCC's statement, comprehensive efforts to reform NEPA have been made as recently as 2023 by Congress and reemphasized by President Trump's administration early this year.
The initiatives don't stop there. Be it terrestrial or celestial, the FCC has set its sights on streamlining the processes that currently send satellite applications into a prolonged regulatory limbo. This drive to become more efficient has already seen tangible results: "During my time as Chairman, our Space Bureau has already cut the backlog of pending applications in half," the agency highlighted, pointing to a significant reduction in the pile of applications awaiting review.
Further cementing the push to expedite approvals, the FCC plans to introduce additional measures in its August meeting. Cast against a backdrop of unanimous Supreme Court support for curbing NEPA litigation abuse, the FCC's actions aim to remove what they identify as hurdles slowing the pace of American building initiatives. In turning the tide of bureaucratic delay, the Commission is advocating a scenario where "getting government permission is harder than building new things" becomes a challenge of the past. With an ambitious agenda of eight items for their August docket, records may well be broken along with red tape.
