Expert Opinion
Bhavin Gandecha: The Permitting Bills Won’t Fix What’s Actually Broken
Congress keeps asking how to build faster, but nobody has defined how much delay or funding variance the system will tolerate before escalation is automatic.
permitting
With House Effort Stalled, NCTA Presses Senate on Broadband Permitting
Cable group asks Senate committee leaders to include broadband reforms in any permitting package.
permitting
Appeals Court Sides With Fiber Provider in Railroad Crossing Dispute
Seventh Circuit says railroads can’t charge fiber providers for access without the property rights to do so
FCC
Lumos Asks FCC to Preempt Two Ohio Counties’ Rights-of-Way
Fiber provider says local permitting requirements near double anticipated project costs
Data Center
Zoning Webinar Outlines Overlooked Front in Data Center Permitting Fights
Panelists discussed how to assuage community pushback with ‘common sense’
NATE
Todd Schlekeway: Broadband's Biggest Obstacle Is the Permit Counter
A Minnesota block lost its fiber over a $90,000 permit bill. The FCC can fix that.
permitting
Conference of Mayors Urges Congress to Reject American Broadband Deployment Act
Resolution warns that the legislation would limit local oversight of broadband deployment and public rights-of-way.
Fiber Connect
Bottlenecks Slowing BEAD: Permits, Locates, Labor, and Materials
Fiber construction workers are increasingly being recruited by data center developers, tightening an already scarce labor pool.
permitting
Barrasso Bill Would Increase Broadband Access on Federal Lands
The lawmaker’s bill would allow broadband projects to bypass some environmental and historical reviews.
permitting
Permitting Delays Could Drive Up PJM Power Costs by $100 Billion
Researchers said slow power plant approvals threaten reliability as AI-driven electricity demand rises.
permitting
White House Pushes AI Tools To Speed Federal Permitting
The administration is expanding automated reviews and digital systems.
House Energy and Commerce
Lawmaker Calls for Approved Energy Projects To Move Forward
Approved energy projects are getting tied up in litigation as power demand surges, the Florida Democrat warned.
House Energy and Commerce
Guthrie Pushes Summer Timeline for Bipartisan Permitting Reform
Guthrie criticized proposals to pause or limit data center development over power concerns.
China
Energy Permitting Delays Threaten U.S. AI Growth, Senator Warns
Politicized reviews and court rulings are stalling infrastructure needed to support rising AI-driven energy demand, Armstrong said.
BEAD
NTIA to BEAD Winners: ‘Know Your Rights’
The agency urged ISPs to ensure state contracts exempt them from certain laws and include permitting commitments.
Arkansas
Arkansas Tackles Large-Scale Permitting Challenges
Coordination across agencies and jurisdictions has emerged as the state’s biggest permitting challenge.
