I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4741 
To provide that the Federal Communications Commission and communications 
service providers regulated by the Commission under the Communications 
Act of 1934 shall not be subject to certain provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation 
Act with respect to the construction, rebuilding, or hardening of commu-
nications facilities following a major disaster or an emergency declared 
by the President, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 18, 2019 
Mr. OLSON 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 juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide that the Federal Communications Commission 
and communications service providers regulated by the 
Commission under the Communications Act of 1934 shall 
not be subject to certain provisions of the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic 
Preservation Act with respect to the construction, re-
building, or hardening of communications facilities fol-
lowing a major disaster or an emergency declared by 
the President, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Connecting Commu-
nities Post Disasters Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF NEPA AND NHPA TO COVERED 
COMMUNICATIONS PROJECTS. 
(a) NEPA CONSIDERATIONS.—The Federal Commu-
nications Commission shall treat covered projects as a 
class of action categorically excluded under section 1508.4 
of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor reg-
ulation), from any requirement to prepare an environ-
mental assessment or environmental impact statement 
under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)). 
(b) NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONSIDER-
ATIONS.—Section 306108 of title 54, United States Code, 
shall not apply with respect to a covered project for which 
the Federal Communications Commission is required to 
issue a permit or that is otherwise subject to the jurisdic-
tion of the Federal Communications Commission. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) COMMUNICATIONS
FACILITY.—The term 
‘‘communications facility’’ includes— 
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(A) any wireless or wireline infrastructure 
for the transmission of writing, signs, signals, 
data, images, pictures, or sounds of all kinds; 
(B) any transmitting device, tower, or sup-
port structure, and any equipment, switches, 
wiring, cabling, power sources, shelters, or cabi-
nets, associated with the provision of commu-
nications services; and 
(C) any antenna or apparatus that— 
(i) is designed for the purpose of 
emitting radio frequency; 
(ii) is designed to be operated, or is 
operating, from a fixed location; and 
(iii) is added to a tower, building, or 
other structure. 
(2) COMMUNICATIONS
SERVICE.—The term 
‘‘communications service’’ means a service for the 
transmission of writing, signs, signals, data, images, 
pictures, or sounds of all kinds. 
(3) COVERED
PROJECT.—The term ‘‘covered 
project’’ means a project that— 
(A) is to be carried out within an area for 
which the President has declared a major dis-
aster or an emergency under the Robert T. 
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Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); 
(B) is to be carried out not later than 5 
years after the date that the President made 
such declaration; and 
(C) replaces a communications facility 
damaged by such disaster or emergency or 
makes improvements to a communications facil-
ity in such area that could reasonably be con-
sidered as necessary for recovery from such dis-
aster or emergency or to prevent or mitigate fu-
ture disasters or emergencies. 
Æ 
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