I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7334 
To streamline the process for consideration of applications for the placement 
of communications facilities on certain Federal lands. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2020 
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To streamline the process for consideration of applications 
for the placement of communications facilities on certain 
Federal lands. 
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 ‘‘Broadband Deploy-
ment Streamlining Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STREAMLINING DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
PROCESSES FOR CONSIDERATION OF COM-
MUNICATIONS FACILITY LOCATION APPLICA-
TIONS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
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(1) COMMUNICATIONS
FACILITY.—The term 
‘‘communications facility’’ includes— 
(A) any infrastructure, including any 
transmitting device, tower, or support structure, 
and any equipment, switches, wiring, cabling, 
power sources, shelters, or cabinets, associated 
with the licensed or permitted unlicensed wire-
less or wireline transmission of writings, signs, 
signals, data, images, pictures, and sounds of 
all kinds; and 
(B) 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 pursuant 
to authorization by the Commission or is 
using duly authorized devices that do not 
require individual licenses; and 
(iii) is added to a tower, building, or 
other structure. 
(2) COMMUNICATIONS SITE.—The term ‘‘com-
munications site’’ means an area of covered land 
designated for communications uses. 
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(3) COMMUNICATIONS USE.—The term ‘‘com-
munications use’’ means the placement and oper-
ation of a communications facility. 
(4) COMMUNICATIONS USE AUTHORIZATION.— 
The term ‘‘communications use authorization’’ 
means an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or 
other authorization to locate or modify a commu-
nications facility on covered land by the Department 
for the primary purpose of authorizing the occu-
pancy and use of the covered land for communica-
tions use. 
(5) COVERED LAND.—The term ‘‘covered land’’ 
means public land administered by the Secretary of 
the Interior. 
(6) ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT.—The term ‘‘orga-
nizational unit’’ means with respect to public land 
administered by the Secretary of the Interior— 
(A) a State office; 
(B) a district office; or 
(C) a field office. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to public 
land. 
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(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 
regulations— 
(1) to streamline the process for considering ap-
plications to locate or modify communications facili-
ties on covered land of the Department of the Inte-
rior; 
(2) to ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that the process is uniform and standardized 
across the organizational units of the Department of 
the Interior; 
(3) to require that the applications described in 
paragraph (1) be considered and granted on a com-
petitively neutral, technology neutral, and non-dis-
criminatory basis; 
(4) to ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that any analyses required under the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act or National Historic 
Preservation Act may be completed concurrently; 
(5) to allow for the use of categorical exclusions 
funded the National Environmental Policy Act from 
another department or agency for covered land of 
the Department of the Interior; 
(6) to revise land use designations for covered 
land of the Department of the Interior; 
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