Title: Connecting Communities Post Disasters Act of 2019
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Connecting Communities Post Disasters Act of 2019
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to exempt projects that replace or make improvements to communications facilities following a major disaster or presidentially declared emergency from certain environmental or historic preservation review requirements. Specifically, the bill exempts such projects from any requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Such projects are also exempt from considerations about the effect they will have on any historic property.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4741 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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 communications 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 jurisdiction 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 Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National 
Historic Preservation Act with respect to the construction, rebuilding, 
or hardening of communications facilities following a major disaster or 
    an emergency declared by the President, 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 ``Connecting Communities Post 
Disasters Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF NEPA AND NHPA TO COVERED COMMUNICATIONS 
              PROJECTS.

    (a) NEPA Considerations.--The Federal Communications 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 regulation), from any requirement to prepare an 
environmental 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 Considerations.--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 
jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission.
    (c) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) 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 
                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 disaster or an 
                emergency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
                and Emergency Assistance 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 facility in such area that could 
                reasonably be considered as necessary for recovery from 
                such disaster or emergency or to prevent or mitigate 
                future disasters or emergencies.
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