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Coastal Broadband Deployment Act
To provide that a project for the deployment or modification of a communications facility entirely within a floodplain is not subject to requirements to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Summary
This bill would exempt communications facility projects entirely within floodplains from certain environmental and historical preservation review requirements. Specifically, the bill exempts such projects from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) review. The exemption applies to projects that require Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval or are otherwise subject to FCC jurisdiction. The bill defines a covered project as the deployment or modification of a communications facility entirely within a federally-defined floodplain. The intent is to streamline the approval process for broadband deployment in coastal and floodplain areas.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Gus M. Bilirakis’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Gus M. Bilirakis → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Apr 10, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
- Apr 10, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Bilirakis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide that a project for the deployment or modification of a communications facility entirely within a floodplain is not subject to requirements to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Coastal Broadband Deployment Act”.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF NEPA AND NHPA TO FLOODPLAINS.
(a) NEPA Exemption.—A Federal authorization with respect to a covered project may not be considered a major Federal action under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).
(b) National Historic Preservation Act Exemption.—A covered project may not be considered an undertaking under section 300320 of title 54, United States Code.
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Commission.—The term “Commission” means the Federal Communications Commission.
(2) Communications facility.—The term “communications facility” has the meaning given the term “communications facility installation” in section 6409(d) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455(d)).
(3) Covered project.—The term “covered project” means a project—
(A) for the deployment or modification of a communications facility that is to be carried out entirely within a floodplain (as defined in section 9.4 of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act); and
(B) for which a permit, license, or approval from the Commission is required or that is otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.
(4) Federal authorization.—The term “Federal authorization”—
(A) means any authorization required under Federal law with respect to a covered project; and
(B) includes any permits, special use authorizations, certifications, opinions, or other approvals as may be required under Federal law with respect to a covered project. <all>
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