Permitting is one of the most consequential factors in broadband infrastructure deployment in this country, according to a new report from the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA).
The report — “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” — highlights the best practices and persistent barriers in the permitting process.
According to the report, there are communities that use permitting as a strategic tool, centralizing review teams and coordinating utility needs to accelerate broadband deployments. But “others are bogged down by fragmented workflows, unclear standards, and costly legal disputes.”
Communities falling into the latter group face issues that can add millions to project costs and delay service, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.
FBA suggests that the NTIA’s Environmental Screening and Tracking Tool provides a valuable blueprint for national reform, but local authorities, policies, and other factors are still proving to be large hurdles.
To successfully clear these hurdles, the FBA report recommends five strategies for broadband permitting:
- Adopt model ordinances and templates: Standardize permitting language, timelines, and free structures, using proven statewide frameworks.
- Implement a digital permitting system: Deploy centralized, real-time tracking platforms for applications and agency coordination.
- Organize “dig once” and joint trenching policies: Coordinate utility excavation to avoid redundant roadwork and streamline construction.
- Standardize pole attachment and make-ready protocols: Streamline pole access timelines. This includes enforcing OMTR and joint-use standards.
- Use escrow and mediation for dispute resolution: Use neutral forums and escrowed fees to resolve legal disputes and keep builds moving forward.
The FBA findings align with those of a report from last year, “Permitting Success: Closing the Digital Divide Through Local Broadband Permitting,” co-authored by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, the American Association for Public Broadband, the FBA, Brightspeed, and GFiber.
“Not every [local] government is equipped for the coming wave of construction,” that report said. “This is especially true in rural areas, where municipal resources are lowest and BEAD activity will be highest.”
