USTelecom Urges Departments of Interior, Agriculture to Accelerate Broadband Deployment on Federal Lands

April 23, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 23, 2026) - USTelecom - The Broadband Association President and CEO Jonathan Spalter this week urged Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to implement recent White House guidance to federal agencies that would expedite broadband permitting on federal lands and help connect more Americans to fast, reliable internet service.

In letters to both Secretaries (here and here), Spalter commended the Departments for their leadership in supporting infrastructure deployment while emphasizing the need to further streamline permitting through expanded use of categorical exclusions (CEs) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The recent guidance from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) presses agencies to broaden the use of these exclusions for projects with minimal environmental impact and to adopt exclusions already established by other federal agencies.

"Expanding access to high-speed broadband is essential to America's economic growth, global competitiveness, and opportunity for all communities," said Spalter. "By modernizing and aligning permitting processes across federal agencies, we can remove unnecessary delays and ensure critical broadband projects are deployed as quickly and efficiently as possible-especially in rural and underserved areas."

USTelecom specifically urges:

• Greater adoption and standardization of categorical exclusions across Interior and Agriculture agencies and bureaus
• Alignment with Department of Commerce and NTIA exclusions, particularly for routine broadband activities
• Expedited approvals for projects in existing rights-of-way, equipment upgrades, and small-footprint infrastructure
• These steps would reduce duplication, improve coordination across agencies, and allow broadband projects to move forward more quickly.

"We stand ready to partner with federal leaders to ensure broadband deployment proceeds efficiently while maintaining strong environmental protections," Spalter said.

Read the full letter to Secretary Burgum here.
Read the full letter to Secretary Rollins here.