Beyond the Paperwork: The Human Side of Permitting Reform

Permitting Reform Starts with People

There’s been a lot of talk lately about permitting reform and how it might speed up broadband expansion and grid modernization. While an important conversation, it misses the heart of the issue. Because behind every permit or easement are real people: landowners, inspectors, city engineers, and local officials who help make these projects possible.

When you look at it that way, permitting isn’t just paperwork. It’s personal.

The Human Side of Permitting

Permitting is often seen as an administrative step, but it’s more than that. It’s a relationship process. Every approval represents a conversation (sometimes many of them) across agencies, jurisdictions, and property lines.

Projects tend to succeed not just when the paperwork is correct, but when everyone involved understands the why: how the work improves safety, expands access, or strengthens community infrastructure. Building that shared understanding takes time, communication, and transparency,: qualities that no policy reform can automate.

Why This Matters in the BEAD Era

BEAD is driving an incredible wave of broadband expansion, and with it comes thousands of permits, easements, and right-of-way requests across the country. Many of these pass through local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) that are managing unprecedented workloads, often for the first time at this scale.

While permitting reform can help make the process faster and more consistent, people still make the difference. Delays rarely come from one missing form; they often come from a missing conversation. Communities want to know what’s coming, why it matters, and how it will affect them. When engagement lags, trust erodes, and projects slow down.

What Builds Trust

Based on our experience in both the power utility and telecom industries, a few consistent practices stand out:

• Start early. Engage stakeholders before applications are submitted. Early outreach prevents surprises and builds goodwill.
• Communicate clearly. Translate technical details into local impact: what will be built, where, and when and why.
• Follow through. Keep communities informed during construction and restoration.
• Respect local expertise. City engineers, inspectors, and landowners know their environments best. Treat their input as essential to success.

These may sound simple, but they’re often what separates a friction-filled process from a cooperative one.

More Connected, Cooperative Future

As we prepare for the next wave of investment, success will depend on how well we work with (not just through) communities. Permitting reform can streamline timelines, but the people behind those permits still determine how efficiently work moves forward.

At Sigma Technologies, we’ve seen how collaboration, transparency, and respect can turn even the most complex permitting processes into opportunities for partnership. Beyond faster approvals, the future of infrastructure will be built through stronger relationships between those who design it, regulate it, and live alongside it.

With decades of experience navigating permitting and easement challenges across utilities and broadband networks, Sigma brings the structure, relationships, and integrity needed to keep projects moving forward with confidence.

By STEPHANIE HERRON, Director of Technical Operations

Stephanie Herron is the Director of Technical Operations at Sigma Technologies, where she oversees the company’s delivery teams across telecommunications projects. With more than 25 years of experience leading complex engineering and construction programs, Stephanie specializes in building processes and relationships that keep complex fiber projects moving efficiently, safely, and collaboratively.