Barbara Cubin: “I know many of my colleagues, especially from the West, are strong advocates of fair and reasonable Federal land…”

“I know many of my colleagues, especially from the West, are strong advocates of fair and reasonable Federal land rights-of-way fees. This Nation's system of roadways and railways was born of effective partnerships in planning and construction between the Federal Government and private industry. Today, we face the challenge of expanding the next generation of technology and energy infrastructures to the underserved areas of the country and bringing commercial benefits to citizens set apart by geographic, economic and digital divides. I serve as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. As such, I have been exploring ways to facilitate the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in my home State of Wyoming. In doing so, I became aware of a significant Federal obstacle to infrastructure development nationwide. Recent applications of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which I will call FLPMA, have resulted in exorbitant increases in fees to cross Federal lands.”