(NAFB.com) – Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced legislation to streamline the permitting process for broadband infrastructure projects. The FOREST Act is intended to cut down on bureaucratic red tape to improve broadband access in rural America. “Regulations and red tape are making it harder for us to deploy broadband in rural America,” Johnson says. “My bill will reduce the unnecessary red tape so we can get more and better service across our country.” The lengthy permitting process on federal lands has prevented the government from improving broadband access, even though billions of dollars are available to improve broadband deployment. The FOREST Act expedites broadband projects in places where the government has already conducted the appropriate environmental and historical preservation reviews. “We appreciate Representative Johnson’s leadership on this bill to ensure broadband providers can efficiently and responsibly complete projects on federal lands,” says Brandon Heiner, Senior VP of Government Affairs for U.S. Telecom.