Washington, DC (WOAY) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) joins colleagues in a bipartisan letter to the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce about the need for high-speed internet access in rural areas.
Internet providers must obtain permits from the federal government for telecommunication infrastructure installation on federal lands or projects using federal funding.
“According to the most recent Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Broadband Deployment report, approximately 14.5 million Americans in rural areas lack access to basic broadband service,” the senators wrote.
“Many of our communities rely on rights of way and service corridors through federal lands for transportation and essential utilities.”
Providers are currently experiencing delays in the permitting process.
Senators urge the Biden administration to streamline the permitting process, close the digital divide and expand high-speed internet in rural communities nationwide.
