Cities vs. Cable Companies: The Battle Over Broadband Permits
▼ Summary
– Congressional Republicans proposed bills that local government leaders call an “unprecedented federal intrusion” into municipal broadband permitting processes.
– The bills would automatically approve certain telecom projects if local governments fail to meet federal deadlines for permit decisions.
– Four major local government organizations objected to 11 bills, arguing they strip local control over infrastructure and favor large telecom companies.
– The House subcommittee approved all the bills despite opposition from local leaders and criticism from Congressional Democrats.
– Democrats criticized the bills for imposing arbitrary deadlines that threaten local authority and cultural site protections, especially for Tribal communities.
A new legislative proposal from Congressional Republicans is sparking a major conflict between local governments and large telecommunications corporations over who controls the process for approving broadband network construction permits. While cable industry lobbyists are celebrating the move, municipal leaders nationwide are condemning it as a federal overreach that strips away their authority to manage public infrastructure.
Today, a House subcommittee advanced the plan despite vocal opposition from city and county representatives and criticism from Democratic lawmakers. The legislation would impose strict deadlines for local permit reviews, with certain telecom projects receiving automatic approval if municipalities fail to rule within the congressionally mandated timeframe. Four prominent organizations representing local governments sent a joint letter to U.S. lawmakers, arguing that the bills prioritize the interests of major broadband, telecom, wireless, and cable providers over those of residents and taxpayers. They contend that the measures remove local control over infrastructure built on community streets and neighborhoods without imposing corresponding obligations on service providers.
The letter came from the United States Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. These groups raised objections to 11 out of the 28 bills reviewed during a markup hearing conducted by the House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. They warned that the legislation would preempt local authority concerning public rights-of-way and land-use decisions.
Broadly speaking, the contested bills aim to compel cities to accelerate permit approvals and lower the fees internet service providers must pay. The House subcommittee gave its approval to all the bills today, forwarding them to the full Commerce Committee for further consideration.
Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., a Democrat from New Jersey, described the package as “full of bad ideas that are unpopular with members on both sides of the aisle.” He noted that similar Republican-led efforts during the previous Congressional session did not succeed. Pallone emphasized that imposing arbitrary deadlines on state, local, and Tribal governments to complete complex permit reviews, with the threat of automatic construction approval, is broadly opposed by the officials responsible for carrying out the work. He also pointed out that other provisions could undermine local communities’ ability to safeguard historic and culturally significant sites, creating particular concerns for Tribal communities.
(Source: Ars Technica)