The House passed the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act (HR-4824) Wednesday on a voice vote. The bill aims to streamline federal broadband permitting processes. It would direct the Agriculture and Interior departments to establish voluntary programs allowing state or tribal governments to conduct National Environmental Policy Act-mandated analyses of broadband projects proposed in operational rights of way (see 1806060066 and 1809100053).

The Rural Utilities Service received wide-ranging advice from an array of parties on its inquiry into how to implement a $600 million "e-connectivity" grant and loan pilot program. Telecom interests, electric cooperatives, government authorities and others filed 278 comments, which continued to trickle out in RUS-18-Telecom-0004 (194 were posted by late Wednesday). Echoing comments of FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly (see 1809100047), NTCA, ITTA and some state telecom associations were among those urging that RUS not allow overbuilding of existing broadband facilities. U.S. Cellular said mobile broadband should be included in funding and the definition of a requirement that eligible rural areas have at least 90 percent of households without "sufficient access" to 10/1 Mbps broadband. "Mobile technology does not provide sufficient access," countered the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, one of numerous cooperatives and their groups that filed. It's "impossible to overstate" the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's support for the pilot, said the group, which cited a study finding the digital divide cost rural communities $68 billion in lost economic value. The Utilities Technology Council called for funding "robust broadband networks" with faster speeds and higher-quality service so that rural America isn't "left behind with marginal broadband services." In defining “sufficient access” for eligible rural areas, "the pilot should consider the transmission capacity required for economic development to ensure it meets the needs for consumer use, distance learning, telemedicine and businesses," said the California Broadband Council of Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) administration, one of many state, local and tribal entities to file comments. GCI Communication and other Alaska entities weighed in on their state's unique challenges.

The Rural Utilities Service received wide-ranging advice from an array of parties on its inquiry into how to implement a $600 million "e-connectivity" grant and loan pilot program. Telecom interests, electric cooperatives, government authorities and others filed 278 comments, which continued to trickle out in RUS-18-Telecom-0004 (194 were posted by late Wednesday). Echoing comments of FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly (see 1809100047), NTCA, ITTA and some state telecom associations were among those urging that RUS not allow overbuilding of existing broadband facilities. U.S. Cellular said mobile broadband should be included in funding and the definition of a requirement that eligible rural areas have at least 90 percent of households without "sufficient access" to 10/1 Mbps broadband. "Mobile technology does not provide sufficient access," countered the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, one of numerous cooperatives and their groups that filed. It's "impossible to overstate" the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's support for the pilot, said the group, which cited a study finding the digital divide cost rural communities $68 billion in lost economic value. The Utilities Technology Council called for funding "robust broadband networks" with faster speeds and higher-quality service so that rural America isn't "left behind with marginal broadband services." In defining “sufficient access” for eligible rural areas, "the pilot should consider the transmission capacity required for economic development to ensure it meets the needs for consumer use, distance learning, telemedicine and businesses," said the California Broadband Council of Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) administration, one of many state, local and tribal entities to file comments. GCI Communication and other Alaska entities weighed in on their state's unique challenges.

The House passed the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act (HR-4824) Wednesday on a voice vote. The bill aims to streamline federal broadband permitting processes. It would direct the Agriculture and Interior departments to establish voluntary programs allowing state or tribal governments to conduct National Environmental Policy Act-mandated analyses of broadband projects proposed in operational rights of way (see 1806060066 and 1809100053).

Stakeholders backed possible FCC creation of a "connected care everywhere" pilot program, diverging on some details such as the proposed focus on facilities-based projects and rural areas. Some telecom entities urged the agency to include resellers; some healthcare parties sought inclusion of projects in urban areas; and other pushed for consideration of their particular industry or patient interests. About 70 substantive comments were posted through Tuesday in docket 18-213 in response to a notice of inquiry adopted Aug. 2 (see Notebook at end of 1808020034).

Stakeholders backed possible FCC creation of a "connected care everywhere" pilot program, diverging on some details such as the proposed focus on facilities-based projects and rural areas. Some telecom entities urged the agency to include resellers; some healthcare parties sought inclusion of projects in urban areas; and other pushed for consideration of their particular industry or patient interests. About 70 substantive comments were posted through Tuesday in docket 18-213 in response to a notice of inquiry adopted Aug. 2 (see Notebook at end of 1808020034).

The House is set to vote under suspension Wednesday night on the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act (HR-4824), said the office of Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Monday. The bill would direct the Agriculture and Interior departments to establish voluntary programs allowing state or tribal governments to conduct National Environmental Policy Act-mandated analyses of broadband projects proposed in department- or tribal-owned lands. HR-4824 would also designate a lead federal agency for reviewing the permit application for any broadband project on Agriculture- or tribal-owned lands whether or not analysis authority is delegated out to a state or tribal government.

The FCC overstates broadband availability on tribal lands because it considers service available in a census block if a provider could serve at least one location, GAO reported Friday. "Overstatements of access limit FCC's and tribal stakeholders' abilities to target broadband funding to such areas." GAO recommend the FCC devise ways to collect and report accurate data on tribal broadband access, develop a process for obtaining tribal input on provider data, and obtain feedback from tribal stakeholders on the effectiveness of a 2012 agency statement to providers on tribal engagement. The FCC agreed.

The FCC overstates broadband availability on tribal lands because it considers service available in a census block if a provider could serve at least one location, GAO reported Friday. "Overstatements of access limit FCC's and tribal stakeholders' abilities to target broadband funding to such areas." GAO recommend the FCC devise ways to collect and report accurate data on tribal broadband access, develop a process for obtaining tribal input on provider data, and obtain feedback from tribal stakeholders on the effectiveness of a 2012 agency statement to providers on tribal engagement. The FCC agreed.

The House is set to vote under suspension Wednesday night on the Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act (HR-4824), said the office of Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Monday. The bill would direct the Agriculture and Interior departments to establish voluntary programs allowing state or tribal governments to conduct National Environmental Policy Act-mandated analyses of broadband projects proposed in department- or tribal-owned lands. HR-4824 would also designate a lead federal agency for reviewing the permit application for any broadband project on Agriculture- or tribal-owned lands whether or not analysis authority is delegated out to a state or tribal government.