PLAN for Broadband Act
Latest Action
By Senator Cruz from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 119-123. Minority views filed.
Official Summary
Proper Leadership to Align Networks for Broadband Act or the PLAN for Broadband Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to develop and implement a national strategy to improve the coordination and management of federal broadband programs and agency consideration of applications to build or maintain broadband infrastructure on federal property. The NTIA must also develop and publish for public comment a plan for the implementation of the national strategy. Among other requirements, the implementation plan must establish, for federal broadband programs that are not technologically neutral (i.e., programs that involve a preference for certain broadband technologies), a ceiling on the amount of funding that may be awarded to support the provision of broadband service to a single location. The bill also requires executive branch agencies to identify and address factors that contribute to delays in their review of applications for easements, rights-of-way, or leases related to communications infrastructure projects on federal property. (Under current law, agencies are generally required to act on such applications within 270 days.) Agencies must also establish methods to alert employees when the agency is at risk of failing to meet the 270-day deadline with respect to a particular application. Finally, the bill lowers the cost threshold for certain broadband infrastructure projects to qualify as covered projects under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act from $200 million to $5 million. Such projects qualify for expedited federal environmental review.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™The PLAN for Broadband Act requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to create and implement a national strategy to improve coordination and management of federal broadband programs. It mandates an implementation plan that includes funding limits for non-technologically neutral broadband programs. The bill also directs executive agencies to identify and address causes of delays in reviewing applications for broadband infrastructure projects on federal property, with a focus on meeting existing 270-day review deadlines. Additionally, it lowers the cost threshold for broadband infrastructure projects to qualify for expedited environmental review under the FAST Act from $200 million to $5 million.
This bill aims to streamline federal broadband program coordination, improve agency review timelines for broadband infrastructure projects, and expand eligibility for expedited environmental reviews to support broadband deployment.
- NTIA must develop a national strategy and implementation plan for federal broadband program coordination.
- Implementation plan must set funding ceilings for broadband programs that prefer certain technologies.
- Federal agencies must address delays in reviewing broadband infrastructure applications and alert staff when deadlines risk being missed.
- Lowering the FAST Act project cost threshold from $200 million to $5 million allows more broadband projects to receive expedited environmental review.
['National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)', 'Federal agencies involved in broadband infrastructure reviews', 'Broadband infrastructure developers and service providers', 'Communities and consumers potentially gaining improved broadband access']
['Implementation complexity in coordinating multiple federal broadband programs and agencies', 'Potential administrative burden on agencies to monitor and alert on application review deadlines', 'Financial implications of funding ceilings on certain broadband technology programs', 'Environmental review process changes may affect project timelines and oversight']
The bill was introduced in the Senate during the 119th Congress and is currently in process. It was reported out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with a written report including minority views, indicating some level of bipartisan or intra-committee discussion. The legislation addresses ongoing federal efforts to improve broadband infrastructure deployment and regulatory efficiency.
High concern review — 3 hidden impact flags detected
GovScope reviewed 3 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.
['Improved coordination and management of federal broadband programs may lead to more efficient use of federal resources.', 'Expedited environmental reviews for more projects could accelerate broadband infrastructure deployment timelines.', 'Increased administrative requirements for agencies may affect workload and resource allocation.', 'Funding ceilings on certain technology-preferred programs could influence the types of broadband technologies deployed.']
The bill introduces new oversight mechanisms for federal broadband program coordination and application review timelines, which may improve transparency and accountability. However, the absence of the full bill text limits detailed analysis of specific enforcement and funding provisions. Monitoring implementation of funding ceilings and agency alert systems will be important to assess effectiveness and compliance.
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