To modernize and streamline the permitting process for broadband infrastructure on Federal land, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill streamlines the process for telecommunications companies to build broadband and communications infrastructure on federal lands. It creates uniform permitting procedures across federal agencies, establishes online application portals, and exempts certain projects from environmental review under NEPA.
Who Benefits and How
- Telecommunications carriers and broadband providers: Benefit from faster, more predictable permitting with minimum 30-year leases, online applications, and reduced environmental review requirements.
- Wireless tower companies and infrastructure providers: Gain exemptions from NEPA for modifications to existing facilities and projects on previously disturbed land.
- Rural communities lacking broadband: May see faster deployment of broadband infrastructure on federal lands.
Who Bears the Burden and How
- Federal land management agencies (BLM, Forest Service, etc.): Must establish new online portals, tracking systems, and uniform procedures within one year.
- Environmental groups: Face reduced environmental review for communications projects on federal lands through categorical exclusions and NEPA exemptions.
- Federal taxpayers: Fund new special accounts for cost recovery fee administration.
Key Provisions
- Establishes categorical exclusion from NEPA for public safety improvements at existing communications facilities
- Exempts communications projects on previously disturbed federal land from NEPA review
- Requires minimum 30-year lease terms for communications facilities on federal lands
- Creates online portals for electronic permit applications within one year
- Establishes Federal Land Management Agency Working Group to coordinate broadband permitting
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Modernizes and streamlines the permitting process for broadband and communications infrastructure on federal lands by reducing regulatory barriers, establishing uniform procedures, and creating exemptions from environmental review requirements.
Key Policy Areas
Telecommunications, Federal Lands, Environmental Regulation, Broadband
Primary Purpose
Modernizes and streamlines the permitting process for broadband and communications infrastructure on federal lands by reducing regulatory barriers, establishing uniform procedures, and creating exemptions from environmental review requirements.
Policy Domains
Broadband Permitting Streamlining
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Telecommunications carriers
- Broadband infrastructure providers
- Wireless tower companies
- Rural communities seeking broadband access
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal land management agencies
- Environmental review requirements
- Federal taxpayers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Barrasso (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Broadband infrastructure developers, Telecommunications applicants, Telecommunications applicants paying cost recovery fees
Positive-direction: Broadband infrastructure developers, Telecommunications applicants, Telecommunications carriers seeking permits on federal land, Telecommunications carriers upgrading existing facilities, Telecommunications companies deploying on previously disturbed sites, Tower companies and infrastructure owners, Wireless carriers modifying existing facilities, Wireless tower companies
Negative-direction: Telecommunications applicants paying cost recovery fees
Federal land management agencies, Federal permitting agencies
Federal land management agencies faces effects in multiple directions
Broadband providers expanding rural coverage, Broadband providers seeking to serve unserved areas
Environmental and historic preservation interests, Environmental review processes
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary_concerned"
- → Secretary of Interior or Secretary of Agriculture depending on land jurisdiction
- "federal_land_management_agency"
- → BLM, Forest Service, NPS, Fish and Wildlife Service, or other agencies managing federal lands
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Any infrastructure including transmitting devices, towers, support structures, equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters, cabinets, antennas, or apparatus for licensed or unlicensed wireless or wireline transmission
An area of Federal land available for communications use
Placement or operation of infrastructure for wireline or wireless telecommunications including cable television, television, and radio communications, whether licensed or unlicensed
A right-of-way, permit, or lease granted by a Federal land management agency for construction, placement, and operation of a communications facility
Any fee collected by a Federal land management agency related to applications for or occupancy under communications use authorizations
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology