New Bill Axes Environmental Review for Telecom Towers Built in Floodplains

The “Coastal Broadband Deployment Act” is short, but it packs a punch for anyone living near a coast, river, or anywhere else prone to flooding. The bill’s main move is to fast-track the deployment of communications infrastructure—think cell towers, fiber optic cables, and related gear—by exempting specific projects from two major federal oversight laws.

The Environmental Shield Gets Pulled Back

Here’s the core change: If a communications project is entirely located within a floodplain and needs approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it will no longer be treated as a “major Federal action” under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Why does this matter? NEPA is the law that requires federal agencies to study and disclose the environmental impacts of their decisions before they happen. For the average person, this process is how communities get a heads-up and a voice when a big project—like a cell tower or data center—is about to be built near them, especially when that project might affect wetlands, local water runoff, or increase flood risk.

By removing this requirement, the bill essentially gives the green light for FCC-approved projects in floodplains to skip the detailed environmental impact statement. While the stated goal is faster broadband deployment (a definite benefit for underserved areas), the practical challenge is that infrastructure will be built in sensitive, high-risk flood zones without the standard federal review designed to protect those very areas. This could mean increased risk for the surrounding community if the new facility changes drainage patterns or ends up being damaged and creating an environmental hazard during a major storm.

Historic Preservation on the Sidelines

The bill also makes a parallel move regarding historic sites. The same “covered projects”—those FCC-approved communication facilities entirely within a floodplain—will no longer be considered an “undertaking” under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The NHPA is the law that requires projects to be reviewed for potential harm to historic or cultural properties, like old buildings, archaeological sites, or historic landscapes. For folks who value local history, this means that if a telecom company wants to build a new facility in a floodplain, the standard process for protecting historic sites in that area is bypassed, potentially putting local landmarks at risk without public review or mitigation efforts.

Who Benefits, Who Pays the Price?

On one hand, this bill is a clear win for telecommunications companies and the FCC, as it cuts significant red tape and speeds up the process of getting broadband access to more people. If you live in a rural or coastal area with notoriously slow internet, this could mean faster service sooner. On the other hand, the cost is borne by environmental and historic preservation safeguards. If you own a home or run a business in a floodplain, you rely on NEPA reviews to ensure new construction doesn't make your flood risk worse. Removing that layer of oversight means that local communities lose a critical tool for assessing and mitigating the real-world risks associated with developing infrastructure in the most vulnerable areas.