Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025

## Summary The Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025 seeks to streamline regulations for undersea fiber optic cables by amending the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA). Currently, installing or maintaining these cables in protected marine areas may require separate authorizations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) even if another federal or state agency has already approved the project. This bill would prohibit NOAA’s Secretary from requiring additional permits or authorizations for such activities if they have already been cleared by another federal or state agency. The goal is to reduce bureaucratic redundancy, accelerate the deployment of critical internet infrastructure, and ensure consistency across agencies while maintaining environmental oversight through existing permits. ## Key Points - Prohibition on Duplicate Authorizations: The Secretary of Commerce (via NOAA) cannot require new permits for undersea fiber optic cables in marine sanctuaries if a federal or state agency has already authorized the activity. - Interagency Collaboration: NOAA can still coordinate with other federal agencies under existing NMSA provisions to ensure cable projects align with sanctuary protections. - Scope of Activities Covered: Applies to installation, operation, maintenance, repair, recovery, or continued presence of cables, ensuring comprehensive regulatory clarity. - Respect for Existing Authority: The bill does not override environmental or other requirements imposed by the original licensing agency, preserving their regulatory role. - Efficiency Focus: Aims to expedite cable projects by eliminating overlapping reviews, which could lower costs and speed up global internet connectivity improvements. ## Impact Areas - Telecommunications Companies: Primary beneficiaries, as they would avoid redundant permitting processes for undersea cable projects. - Federal/State Regulatory Agencies: Agencies like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or state utility boards retain sole authority for cable approvals in sanctuaries. - Environmental Advocates and Marine Sanctuaries: Potential concerns about reduced oversight by NOAA, though the bill assumes existing authorizations already account for environmental safeguards. - Global Internet Infrastructure: Could accelerate deployment of undersea cables, improving international data transmission capacity and reliability. - Interagency Dynamics: Encourages cooperation between NOAA and other agencies but limits NOAA’s ability to enforce additional sanctuary-specific rules. *Technical terms explained*: - Undersea fiber optic cables: Submarine cables that transmit internet data globally, critical to international communications. - National Marine Sanctuary: Federally protected ocean areas managed by NOAA to conserve marine ecosystems and cultural resources. - Authorization: A permit, license, or lease granting legal approval for activities in protected areas.