RAPID Act
Sponsored By: Representative Hudson
Introduced
Summary
Speeds deployment of small wireless service facilities. This bill would exempt tiny cellular antennas from major federal environmental and historic reviews and create a 45-day presumption around tribal responses to speed siting decisions.
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- Wireless deployers and carriers would face fewer federal reviews, which would likely shorten permitting timelines and speed local rollouts of small antennas.
- Indian Tribes would be presumed to have disclaimed interest if they do not act within 45 days after getting a complete FCC form, and applicants would be presumed to have made a good faith effort; tribes can rebut that presumption using listed factors, including whether the applicant followed up within a window of 30 to 50 days.
- The exemptions only apply to narrowly defined "small personal wireless service facilities," meaning antennas no larger than 3 cubic feet and excluding wireline backhaul, so larger or different projects stay subject to existing reviews.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
45-day timeline for tribal review
If enacted, when a Tribe gets a complete FCC Form 620 or 621, a 45-day clock would start. If no action in 45 days, FCC and courts would presume the applicant acted in good faith and the Tribe declined interest. A Tribe could still overcome this by showing reasons. The FCC or a court would give substantial weight to whether the applicant followed up between days 30 and 50. They would also weigh if FCC rules or the forms violate a Nationwide Programmatic Agreement.
Faster small wireless projects, fewer reviews
If enacted, small personal wireless projects would skip certain federal environmental and historic reviews. A small site would mean each antenna is no more than 3 cubic feet, and it excludes wireline backhaul. Federal permits and approvals for these small sites would not count as a major Federal action under NEPA. These builds would also not be undertakings under the National Historic Preservation Act. This could speed builds for carriers and site owners, but cut federal review steps for tribes and communities.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hudson
NC • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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