Coastal Broadband Deployment Act
Sponsored By: Representative Bilirakis
Introduced
Summary
Exemptions from NEPA and NHPA review for certain coastal broadband projects would speed deployment of communications facilities located entirely within floodplains. The bill narrows federal environmental and historic preservation checks for projects that require Federal Communications Commission permits or approvals, aiming to accelerate coastal broadband installation.
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- Families and coastal residents: Could see faster broadband build-out in floodplain areas because covered projects would skip certain federal environmental and historic reviews.
- Communications companies and the FCC: Projects carried out entirely within a floodplain and under FCC jurisdiction would not be treated as a major federal action under NEPA and would not be treated as an undertaking under the National Historic Preservation Act, reducing review steps and permitting hurdles.
- Historic preservation and environmental reviewers: Federal NEPA and NHPA reviews would not apply to these covered projects, narrowing the agencies' review role for FCC-regulated deployments in floodplains.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster federal permits for floodplain broadband
If enacted, this bill would let certain broadband projects in floodplains skip routine environmental and historic reviews. The exemption would apply only to deployments or upgrades of communications facilities that need FCC approval and sit entirely within a floodplain defined in 44 C.F.R. 9.4. Any federal permits or approvals for these covered projects would not trigger NEPA or National Historic Preservation Act review. This could speed buildouts and lower costs, but it would reduce those review protections. The change would start upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bilirakis
FL • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov