Federal Broadband Permit Coordination Act of 2023
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to coordinate with specified federal entities and other stakeholders to expedite permits for broadband projects (i.e., projects to install fiber optic lines, communications towers, and related infrastructure). It also allows the departments to establish teams to support the coordination efforts.
Specifically, USDA and Interior must enter into agreements with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to coordinate and expedite the permits. In developing the agreements, USDA and Interior (1) must consult with organizations representing state and tribal historic preservation officers, and (2) may request that states and Indian tribes with broadband projects in their jurisdictions enter the agreements.
After entering an agreement, USDA and Interior may designate employees with expertise in planning, environmental analyses, and other relevant topics to work as part of a team in a state or regional office that has been delegated responsibility for issuing broadband permits.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3306 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3306
To facilitate Federal broadband permit coordination, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 15, 2023
Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on
Agriculture, 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 facilitate Federal broadband permit coordination, 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 ``Federal Broadband Permit
Coordination Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL BROADBAND PERMIT COORDINATION.
(a) Memorandum of Understanding.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned, in
consultation with the National Conference of State Historic
Preservation Officers and the National Association of Tribal Historic
Preservation Officers, shall enter into, in accordance with this
section, a memorandum of understanding with--
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the
Interior (as the case may be);
(2) the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
(3) the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the memorandum of understanding
entered into under subsection (a) shall be to coordinate and expedite
permitting decisions for broadband projects.
(c) State or Tribal Participation.--The Secretary concerned may
request that the Governor of a State or the officer designated by the
governing body of an Indian Tribe with one or more broadband projects
be a party to the memorandum of understanding entered into under
subsection (a).
(d) Designation of Qualified Staff.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
entrance into a memorandum of understanding under subsection
(a), the head of each Federal agency that is a party to the
memorandum of understanding (other than the Secretary
concerned) may, if the head of the Federal agency determines it
to be appropriate, designate to each State or regional office
(that has been delegated responsibility by the Secretary
concerned for issuing permits for broadband projects) an
employee of that Federal agency with expertise in regulatory
issues relating to that Federal agency, including, as
applicable, particular expertise in--
(A) planning under the Forest and Rangeland
Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C.
1600 et seq.) and planning under the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et
seq.);
(B) the preparation of analyses under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.); or
(C) consultation and the preparation of biological
opinions under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536).
(2) Establishment of streamlining team.--If employees are
designated under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall
establish a broadband permit streamlining team, comprised of
such employees, in each State or regional office that has been
delegated responsibility by the Secretary concerned for issuing
permits for broadband projects.
(3) Duties.--Each employee designated under paragraph (1)
shall--
(A) be responsible for any issue relating to any
broadband project, within the jurisdiction of the State
or regional office, under the authority of the Federal
agency from which the employee is assigned; and
(B) participate as part of the team of personnel
working on one or more proposed broadband projects,
including with respect to planning and environmental
analyses.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Broadband project.--The term ``broadband project''
means an installation, by a broadband provider on Federal land,
of wireline or wireless broadband infrastructure that enables a
user to originate and receive high-quality voice, data,
graphics, and video telecommunications, including copper lines,
fiber optic lines, communications towers, buildings, or other
improvements.
(2) Broadband provider.--The term ``broadband provider''
means a provider of wireline or wireless broadband
infrastructure that enables a user to originate and receive
high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video
telecommunications.
(3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 102 of the
Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C.
5130).
(4) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(5) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture (acting through
the Chief of the Forest Service), with respect to
National Forest System land; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
land managed by the Department of the Interior
(including land held in trust for an Indian Tribe).
(6) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, and each territory or
possession of the United States.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
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