The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program projects will begin permitting in early 2026, generating tens of thousands of anticipated applications across every US state and territory. NTIA and BLM are reconvening federal agencies to update providers on rights-of-way permit application processes key to broadband infrastructure, building on presentations from the July 2024 NTIA/BLM multi-agency broadband permitting summit held at the BLM National Training Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

This virtual summit will update proponents of NTIA-funded broadband projects on changes to Federal permitting rules since the NTIA/BLM Federal Interagency Broadband Permitting Summit held in 2024 (https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/EHP_DOC_NTIA_BLM_Interagency_Permitting_Summit.pdf.) Presentations and panel discussion will focus on rights of way and real estate permitting and presenters include representatives from the Federal Highway Administration, BLM, the US Forest Service, and additional Department of the Interior agencies.