PLAN for Broadband Act
Description
This bill would require a national strategy to coordinate federal broadband programs and expedite infrastructure reviews on federal land.
Summary
What it does
This bill would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop a national strategy and implementation plan to coordinate federal broadband programs and manage infrastructure applications on federal property. The proposal would require executive agencies to address delays in reviewing communications infrastructure permits and establish systems to alert staff when they are at risk of missing the 270-day legal deadline for such applications. Additionally, the bill would lower the cost threshold from $200 million to $5 million for broadband projects to qualify for expedited environmental reviews under the FAST Act.
Who is affected
The bill affects the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and other executive branch agencies responsible for managing federal broadband programs and infrastructure applications. Entities applying for easements, rights-of-way, or leases to build communications infrastructure on federal property are impacted by changes to application review processes and deadlines. Additionally, developers of broadband infrastructure projects valued between $5 million and $200 million may now qualify for expedited federal environmental reviews.
Key provisions
- Development of a national broadband strategy. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must create and implement a national strategy to improve the management of federal broadband programs and the processing of infrastructure applications on federal land.
- Implementation plan for federal broadband programs. The NTIA is required to publish an implementation plan that includes funding ceilings for non-technologically neutral programs to limit the amount of support provided to a single location.
- Streamlining infrastructure applications on federal property. Executive agencies must identify causes for delays in reviewing communications easements and leases, and they must establish systems to alert staff when they are at risk of missing the 270-day statutory deadline for application decisions.
- Expedited environmental review for broadband projects. The bill lowers the cost threshold for broadband infrastructure projects to qualify for expedited federal environmental review under the FAST Act from $200 million to $5 million.
Fiscal impact
- S. 323, PLAN for Broadband Act· As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on March 12, 2025
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
The bill modifies the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act by lowering the cost threshold for broadband infrastructure projects to qualify for expedited environmental review from $200 million to $5 million. It also addresses existing federal requirements for agencies to process communications infrastructure applications within 270 days by requiring new internal tracking and alert systems.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to improve the coordination and management of federal broadband programs by requiring a national strategy and implementation plan. It also seeks to streamline the deployment of broadband infrastructure on federal property by addressing application delays and expanding eligibility for expedited environmental reviews.