Connecting Communities Post Disasters Act of 2025
The Connecting Communities Post Disasters Act of 2025 would speed up the replacement or improvement of communications facilities in areas hit by a major disaster or President-declared emergency. Specifically, it creates a category of projects called “covered projects” that, if implemented within five years of the disaster/emergency declaration and necessary for recovery or future disaster mitigation, would not be subject to certain environmental or historical preservation review requirements. The bill would treat federal authorizations for these projects as not being major Federal actions under NEPA (so no standard NEPA process) and would exclude them from being considered undertakings under the National Historic Preservation Act. In short, the bill aims to accelerate restoration of communications infrastructure by limiting the scope of federal environmental and historic-preservation reviews for these post-disaster projects.
Key Points
- 1NEPA exemption: A federal authorization for a covered project may not be considered a major Federal action under NEPA, potentially avoiding the usual environmental impact statement/assessment process.
- 2NHPA exemption: A covered project may not be considered an undertaking under the National Historic Preservation Act, limiting historic-preservation review and consultation requirements.
- 3Covered project definition: A project that (A) occurs in an area where the President declared a major disaster or emergency, (B) is completed within five years after that declaration, and (C) replaces a damaged communications facility or makes improvements necessary for disaster recovery or mitigation.
- 4Communications facility definition: Uses the meaning of “communications facility installation” in existing law (as defined in the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act).
- 5Federal authorization scope: Includes any federal permits, special use authorizations, certifications, opinions, or other approvals required for the project.