Weighing in on an issue close to the hearts and pocketbooks of cable and telecom broadband operators, Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) has called on new broadband subsidy czar Mitch Landrieu to push for more streamlined permitting processes.
That came in a letter Monday (February 7) from Wicker to Landrieu, who back in November was named senior advisor and infrastructure coordinator for the President's infrastructure spending, including $65 billion for broadband.
Wicker points to the $42 billion in broadband funds going to states and localities and asks Landrieu to work closely with those entities to streamline the process of building out service, specifically access to rights of way and poles, environmental reviews, and the permitting and application process.
Wicker said coming up with some streamlining best practices before the money is handed out would help reduce hurdles to deployment. That could include making funding contingent on adhering to "productive" permitting processes. ■
