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A bill to allow certain State permitting authority to encourage expansion of broadband service to rural communities, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-604| Senate 
| Updated: 3/9/2017
Orrin G. Hatch

Orrin G. Hatch

Republican Senator

Utah

Cosponsors (4)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Deb Fischer (Republican)Steve Daines (Republican)Shelley Moore Capito (Republican)

Environment and Public Works Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Highway Rights-of-Way Permitting Efficiency Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to National Forest System land, and the Department of the Interior, with respect to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, to establish a program to enter into memoranda of understanding with states to allow for the permitting of broadband within an operational right-of-way to enable broadband providers to install infrastructure that allows users to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications. The "operational right-of-way" is defined as all real property interests (including easements) acquired for the construction or operation of a project. A state's governor, or a state's top-ranking transportation official in charge of highway construction, may enter into such a memorandum for a term not to exceed 10 years if the state consents to: (1) federal court jurisdiction, (2) federal environmental review procedures, (3) judicial review of decisions regarding the public availability of documents, (4) maintenance of necessary financial resources, and (5) the provision of any information that USDA or Interior needs to ensure that the state is carrying out its responsibilities. USDA and Interior must designate projects within an existing operational right-of-way as actions categorically excluded from federal regulations relating to environmental assessments or environmental impact statements. Interior must establish a Federal Permit Streamlining Project in each BLM field office with responsibility for issuing permits for broadband projects. Under the program, Interior acts as the lead agency for the issuance of a single permit on behalf of all other federal agencies involved in a broadband project through a memorandum of understanding with USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Timeline
Mar 9, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 9, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  • March 9, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 9, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Transportation and Public Works

Related Bills

  • HR 115-4824: Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018
Environmental assessment, monitoring, researchForests, forestry, treesIntergovernmental relationsInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaLand use and conservationLicensing and registrationsRoads and highwaysState and local government operationsTelephone and wireless communication

A bill to allow certain State permitting authority to encourage expansion of broadband service to rural communities, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-604| Senate 
| Updated: 3/9/2017
Highway Rights-of-Way Permitting Efficiency Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to National Forest System land, and the Department of the Interior, with respect to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, to establish a program to enter into memoranda of understanding with states to allow for the permitting of broadband within an operational right-of-way to enable broadband providers to install infrastructure that allows users to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video telecommunications. The "operational right-of-way" is defined as all real property interests (including easements) acquired for the construction or operation of a project. A state's governor, or a state's top-ranking transportation official in charge of highway construction, may enter into such a memorandum for a term not to exceed 10 years if the state consents to: (1) federal court jurisdiction, (2) federal environmental review procedures, (3) judicial review of decisions regarding the public availability of documents, (4) maintenance of necessary financial resources, and (5) the provision of any information that USDA or Interior needs to ensure that the state is carrying out its responsibilities. USDA and Interior must designate projects within an existing operational right-of-way as actions categorically excluded from federal regulations relating to environmental assessments or environmental impact statements. Interior must establish a Federal Permit Streamlining Project in each BLM field office with responsibility for issuing permits for broadband projects. Under the program, Interior acts as the lead agency for the issuance of a single permit on behalf of all other federal agencies involved in a broadband project through a memorandum of understanding with USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 9, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 9, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  • March 9, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 9, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Orrin G. Hatch

Orrin G. Hatch

Republican Senator

Utah

Cosponsors (4)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Deb Fischer (Republican)Steve Daines (Republican)Shelley Moore Capito (Republican)

Environment and Public Works Committee

Transportation and Public Works

Related Bills

  • HR 115-4824: Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Environmental assessment, monitoring, researchForests, forestry, treesIntergovernmental relationsInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaLand use and conservationLicensing and registrationsRoads and highwaysState and local government operationsTelephone and wireless communication