119-hr5264

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5264 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5264

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that certain 
 projects for the placement and installation of communications 
 facilities are not subject to requirements to prepare certain 
 environmental or historical preservation reviews, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 10, 2025

Mr. Goldman of Texas 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 amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that certain 
 projects for the placement and installation of communications 
 facilities are not subject to requirements to prepare certain 
 environmental or historical preservation reviews, and for other 
 purposes.

 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 ``Streamlining Permitting to Enable 
Efficient Deployment for Broadband Infrastructure Act of 2025'' or the 
``SPEED for Broadband Infrastructure Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION FROM REVIEW FOR CERTAIN COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES.

 Title I of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 14. EXEMPTION FROM REVIEW FOR CERTAIN COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES.

 ``

    (a) Permitting of Covered Projects.--
 ``

    (1) 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) ).
 ``

    (2) National historic preservation act exemption.--A 
 covered project may not be considered an undertaking under 
 

section 300320 of title 54, United States Code.
 ``

    (3) Savings clause.--Nothing in this subsection may be 
 construed to affect--
 ``
        (A) the obligation of the Commission to evaluate 
 radiofrequency exposure under the National 
 Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
 seq.);
 ``
        (B) except as explicitly provided in this 
 subsection, the obligation of a provider of a 
 communications service to comply with the National 
 Environmental Policy Act of 1969 or division A of 
 subtitle III of title 54, United States Code;
 ``
            (C) the authority of a State or local government 
 to apply and enforce the zoning and other land use 
 regulations of the State or local government to the 
 extent consistent with this subsection and sections 
 253, 332
            (c) (7) , and 621; or
 ``
            (D) the authority or obligations established 
 under 

section 20156

    (e) of title 49, United States Code.
 ``

    (b) Grant of Easement on Federal Property.--
 ``

    (1) NEPA exemption.--A Federal authorization with respect 
 to a covered easement for a communications facility 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) ), if a covered easement has previously been granted 
 for another communications facility or a utility facility with 
 respect to the same building or other property owned by the 
 Federal Government.
 ``

    (2) National historic preservation act exemption.--A 
 covered easement for a communications facility may not be 
 considered an undertaking under 

section 300320 of title 54, 
 United States Code, if a covered easement has previously been 
 granted for another communications facility or a utility 
 facility with respect to the same building or other property 
 owned by the Federal Government.
 ``
            (c) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Antenna.--The term `antenna' means communications 
 equipment that transmits or receives electromagnetic radio 
 frequency signals used in the provision of wireless services.
 ``

    (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 easement.--The term `covered easement' means 
 an easement, right-of-way, or lease with respect to a building 
 or other property owned by the Federal Government, excluding 
 Tribal land held in trust by the Federal Government (unless the 
 Tribal Government with respect to such land requests that the 
 Commission not exclude the land for purposes of this 
 definition), for the right to install, construct, modify, or 
 maintain a communications facility or a utility facility.
 ``

    (4) Covered project.--The term `covered project' means 
 the placement and installation of a new communications facility 
 if--
 ``
        (A) such new facility--
 ``
            (i) will be located within a public 
 right-of-way; and
 ``
            (ii) is not more than 50 feet tall or 10 
 feet taller than any existing structure in the 
 public right-of-way, whichever is higher;
 ``
        (B) such new facility is--
 ``
            (i) a replacement for an existing 
 communications facility; and
 ``
            (ii) the same as, or substantially 
 similar to (as such term is defined by the 
 Commission), the existing communications 
 facility that such new communications facility 
 is replacing;
 ``
            (C) such new facility is a type of communications 
 facility that--
 ``
            (i) is described in 

section 6409
            (d) (1)
        (B) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation 
 Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1455
            (d) (1)
        (B) ); and
 ``
            (ii) meets the size limitation of a small 
 antenna established by the Commission; or
 ``
            (D) the placement and installation of such new 
 facility involves the expansion of the site of an 
 existing communications facility not more than 30 feet 
 in any direction.
 ``

    (5) Federal authorization.--The term `Federal 
 authorization'--
 ``
        (A) means any authorization required under 
 Federal law with respect to a 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 project.
 ``

    (6) Public right-of-way.--The term `public right-of-
 way'--
 ``
        (A) means--
 ``
            (i) the area on, below, or above a public 
 roadway, highway, street, sidewalk, alley, or 
 similar property; and
 ``
            (ii) any land immediately adjacent to and 
 contiguous with property described in clause
            (i) that is within the right-of-way grant; and
 ``
        (B) does not include a portion of the Interstate 
 System (as such term is defined in 

section 101

    (a) of 
 title 23, United States Code).
 ``

    (7) Utility facility.--The term `utility facility' means 
 any privately, publicly, or cooperatively owned line, facility, 
 or system for producing, transmitting, or distributing power, 
 electricity, light, heat, gas, oil, crude products, water, 
 steam, waste, storm water not connected with highway drainage, 
 or any other similar commodity, including any fire or police 
 signal system or street lighting system, that directly or 
 indirectly serves the public.
 ``

    (8) Wireless service.--The term `wireless service' means 
 the transmission by radio communication of voice, video, or 
 data communications services, including Internet Protocol or 
 any successor protocol-enabled services, or any combination of 
 those services, whether provided on a licensed or permitted 
 unlicensed basis.''.
 <all>