This bill streamlines broadband infrastructure deployment on federal lands by exempting certain projects from lengthy environmental and historical reviews.
Russ Fulcher
Representative
ID-1
The "Reducing Barriers for Broadband on Federal Lands Act of 2025" aims to accelerate broadband deployment by exempting projects within existing rights-of-way on federal lands from certain environmental and historical preservation reviews. This exemption applies to projects installing infrastructure for high-quality telecommunications. By streamlining the approval process, the act seeks to reduce barriers and encourage broadband providers to expand services. Specifically, projects will not be subject to a full environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act or review under the National Historic Preservation Act.
Faster Internet vs. Fewer Checks: Bill Proposes Waiving Reviews for Broadband on Federal Land Corridors
This bill aims to accelerate the rollout of broadband internet infrastructure, like fiber optic cables and wireless equipment, on federal lands. It proposes a significant shortcut: exempting qualifying 'broadband projects' installed within existing 'rights-of-way' from two major federal review processes – the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
Wiring Up Faster: The Push for Connectivity
The core idea here is speed. Getting permits to build on federal land can be complex and time-consuming, partly due to environmental and historical assessments. Section 2 of this bill explicitly states that federal approval for installing broadband infrastructure (defined as wires, fiber optics, towers, etc.) within a pre-existing right-of-way—think the strip of land alongside federal roads or highways (but not Interstates)—would not trigger a full NEPA environmental impact study or NHPA historical review. For telecom companies, this could mean fewer hoops to jump through and potentially faster deployment timelines, especially helpful for extending service to areas currently underserved.
Skipping Steps: What About Oversight?
While faster internet access is a goal many can get behind, removing these specific reviews raises questions about oversight. NEPA and NHPA processes are designed to identify and mitigate potential harm before projects begin – whether it's damage to sensitive ecosystems, disruption of wildlife habitats, or disturbance of culturally significant sites or historical artifacts. By exempting broadband projects in these corridors, the bill effectively removes this layer of scrutiny. For example, if a designated right-of-way runs adjacent to a sensitive wetland or through an area potentially containing undiscovered archaeological resources, this legislation could allow infrastructure installation without the standard environmental or historical assessments mandated by NEPA and NHPA. This directly impacts the safeguards relied upon by environmental advocates, historical preservation groups, and potentially Tribal nations concerned about cultural sites within these federal land corridors.