{
  "id": 9457619,
  "title": "Cities Across US Oppose Trump FCC Plan to Preempt Local Broadband Rules",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/cities-across-us-oppose-trump-fcc-plan-to-preempt-local-broadband",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-24T01:04:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Slashdot",
    "slug": "slashdot",
    "url": "https://news.slashdot.org/story/26/09/23/0144238/cities-across-us-oppose-trump-fcc-plan-to-preempt-local-broadband-rules"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Cities and counties across the United States are expressing their discontent with the Trump administration's proposal to overrule local regulations governing the installation of wired broadband networks. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) contends that numerous local governments delay approvals and demand substantial payments from service providers, making certain deployments unfeasible. While the proposal garners support from broadband providers, local governments contend that it would supersede rules aimed at safeguarding public safety.\n\nLocal governments argue that the plan is unlawful and propose that the FCC instead concentrate on addressing how internet providers impede competition through permit hoarding and other methods that hinder competitors from deploying networks. They object to the FCC's plans to enforce a 120-day deadline for processing permits and to proposed limitations on fees and remuneration that local governments can impose on providers.\n\nThe League of California Cities submitted a filing stating that the FCC lacks the authority to implement the proposal. The filing asserts that federal preemption of conventional state and local authority over public property, construction, public safety, permitting, and rights-of-way management requires clear congressional authorization; the filing states that the commission should not infer expansive preemptive authority where Congress did not expressly grant it.\n\nA filing by Minnesota cities mirrors a similar predicament that occurred during the first Trump administration, where the FCC's attempt to preempt state net neutrality laws was thwarted in court. If the FCC finalizes its new preemption plan, city and state governments may resort to legal action and seek a ruling from a court that the agency overstepped its authority. Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez approved the step of soliciting public input but implied she would vote against the final proposal, expressing her skepticism about the commission's authority under Section 253 to utilize rulemaking to preempt states and localities when it concerns their management of rights of way and fees charged to providers.",
  "summary": "Ars Technica reports: Cities and counties around the U.S. are angry at the Trump administration over a proposal to override local rules that govern the deployment of wired broadband networks... The Federal Communications Commission [FCC] argues that too many local governments \"excessively delay approvals and seek to extract exorbitant sums from providers, resulting in costs that render some…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}