Broadband Competition and Efficient Deployment Act
The Broadband Competition and Efficient Deployment Act would exempt certain telecom siting projects from federal environmental and historic preservation review. Specifically, it says that a federal authorization for a collocation project—placing, constructing, or modifying a telecommunications facility on eligible existing infrastructure—shall not be treated as a major federal action under NEPA (which typically triggers environmental reviews) or as an undertaking under NHPA (which triggers historic preservation reviews). The bill defines what counts as a “covered project,” what constitutes “eligible support infrastructure,” and clarifies that the FCC (the Commission) administers these rules. The overarching aim is to speed up the deployment of broadband infrastructure by reducing the federal review burden, thereby potentially increasing competition and rapid access to high-speed services.
Key Points
- 1Exempts certain collocation projects from major federal action NEPA reviews and from NHPA Section 106-style undertakings.
- 2Applies to projects for placement, construction, or modification of a telecommunications facility on eligible support infrastructure when a federal FCC permit or approval is required or under FCC jurisdiction.
- 3Defines “covered project,” “eligible support infrastructure,” and other terms (including FCC/Commission, federal authorization, Indian Tribes, and telecommunications services) to determine what falls under the exemption.
- 4The Commission (FCC) is the governing body referenced for regulatory authority and interpretation.
- 5Intended effect is to accelerate broadband deployment and increase competition by reducing federal review timeframes for collocation projects.