The GRANTED Act of 2025 amends the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to accelerate and streamline the processing of applications for Federal easements, rights-of-way, and leases related to communications facility installations under Section 6409(b)(3). The bill replaces the current requirement that an application be “duly filed” with a new standard that an application must be “complete” to be subject to the deadline and deemed-granted rule. If an executive agency fails to grant or deny a complete application by the specified deadline, the application is automatically deemed granted the day after that deadline. The bill also provides a detailed framework for when an application is considered complete and when it is considered received, including a 30-day window for agencies to notify applicants of missing information. The amendments apply to applications received on or after the date of enactment. In short, the measure tightens and clarifies the triggers for an automatic deemed grant and clarifies the process for determining when an application is complete and received, with the goal of preventing delays in siting telecommunications facilities on federal rights-of-way.
Key Points
- 1Deemed granted if agency misses deadline: An executive agency must grant or deny a complete application by the deadline; if it does not, the application is deemed granted the day after the deadline.
- 2Definition of “complete” application: The bill replaces “duly filed” with “complete” and adds criteria for completeness, including:
- 3- The applicant has taken the first procedural step to submit according to agency procedures.
- 4- The applicant has not received a written notice within 30 days after receipt stating that required information is missing.
- 5When a complete application is considered received:
- 6- Generally, a complete application is considered received on the date all required information is submitted.
- 7- If not all information is submitted, but the application is deemed complete under the 30-day notice rule, it is considered received the day after the last day of that 30-day period.
- 8Timing and applicability: The amendments apply to any application under subsection (b) of section 6409 that is received on or after the enactment date of the GRANTED Act of 2025.
- 9Naming and scope: The bill is titled the GRANTED Act of 2025 (also called the Granting Remaining Applications Not Treated Efficiently or Delayed Act of 2025) and focuses on federal siting of communications facilities.