Coastal Broadband Deployment Act
Bill: H.R.1039 | Sponsor: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. (R-FL)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Coastal Broadband Deployment Act
This bill excludes certain communications facility deployment or modification projects from specified review requirements.
Specifically, the bill excludes from specified environmental and historic preservation review a project for the deployment or modification of a communications facility that is to be carried out entirely within a floodplain (the lowland and relatively flat areas adjoining inland and coastal waters).

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 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 Exemption.--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 support 
                structure, and any equipment, switches, wiring, 
                cabling, power sources, shelters, or cabinets, 
                associated with the provision of communications 
                service; 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.
            (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 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.
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