HR261-119

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025.

2. Prohibition on prohibiting, or requiring permits or other authorizations for, undersea fiber optic cables authorized by a Federal or State agency The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 310 the following: Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary may not prohibit, or require any permit, including any special use permit, or other authorization for, the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a Federal or State agency, and is in effect, authorizing such installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery. Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering existing requirements regarding interagency cooperation under section 304(d) in any Federal agency action described in that section and involving the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary. 310A.Prohibition on prohibiting, or requiring permits or other authorizations for, undersea fiber optic cables authorized by a Federal or State agency (a)In generalNotwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary may not prohibit, or require any permit, including any special use permit, or other authorization for, the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a Federal or State agency, and is in effect, authorizing such installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery. (b)Interagency cooperationNothing in this section shall be construed as altering existing requirements regarding interagency cooperation under section 304(d) in any Federal agency action described in that section and involving the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary..

310A. Prohibition on prohibiting, or requiring permits or other authorizations for, undersea fiber optic cables authorized by a Federal or State agency Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary may not prohibit, or require any permit, including any special use permit, or other authorization for, the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a Federal or State agency, and is in effect, authorizing such installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery. Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering existing requirements regarding interagency cooperation under section 304(d) in any Federal agency action described in that section and involving the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.

3. Removing restrictions on activities covered by sanctuary special use permits Section 310(c) of National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1441(c)) is amended— in paragraph (1), by adding and at the end; by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2).