I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1039 
To provide that a project for the deployment or modification of a communica-
tions facility entirely within a floodplain is not subject to requirements 
to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2021 
Mr. BILIRAKIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee 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 environ-
mental or historical preservation reviews. 
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 ‘‘Coastal Broadband 
Deployment Act’’. 
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SEC. 
2. 
APPLICATION 
OF 
NEPA 
AND 
NHPA 
TO 
FLOODPLAINS. 
(a) NEPA EXEMPTION.—A covered project shall not 
be subject to the requirements of section 102(2)(C) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)). 
(b) NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT EX-
EMPTION.—A covered project shall 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’’ includes— 
(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 service; and 
(C) any antenna or apparatus that— 
(i) is designed for the purpose of 
emitting radio frequency; 
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(ii) is designed to be operated, or is 
operating, from a fixed location; and 
(iii) is added to a tower, building, or 
other structure. 
(3) COMMUNICATIONS
SERVICE.—The term 
‘‘communications service’’ means a service for the 
transmission of writing, signs, signals, data, images, 
pictures, or sounds of all kinds. 
(4) 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 Regula-
tions, 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 oth-
erwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Com-
mission. 
Æ 
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