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Requires the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to build and publish online portals within one year to accept, process, and dispose of Form 299 applications for placing or modifying communications facilities on public and National Forest lands. Each Department must notify the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information within three business days after its portal goes live, and that official must post links to the portals on the NTIA website. The law also defines key terms used in the requirement.
The bill makes communications permitting easier and faster through online forms, centralized links, and clearer definitions—potentially accelerating infrastructure deployment—while raising risks of portal security/usability problems, added taxpayer and agency costs, and possible environmental impact
Applicants, telecom providers, and local governments can submit and track Form 299 applications online with standardized electronic processing, reducing filing time and likely accelerating deployment of broadband and cellular infrastructure.
Telecom providers, land managers, and applicants get clearer statutory definitions (e.g., Form 299, covered land, communications use authorization), reducing legal ambiguity and helping streamline permitting and authorization decisions.
Telecom providers and the general public gain a centralized NTIA landing point that links to application portals and guidance, making it easier to find how to apply for communications use on public and National Forest land.
Applicants and telecom providers face the risk that portals rushed to meet the one‑year deadline could launch with usability or security flaws, causing processing delays or exposing sensitive data.
Nearby communities, recreationists, and conservation groups may experience increased construction and activity on public and National Forest lands if the bill's definitions broaden where communications facilities can be authorized, raising environmental and recreational impacts.
Taxpayers and federal agencies may incur costs to develop and maintain two new portals and related IT support, which could divert agency resources and funding from other priorities.
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Kat Cammack · Last progress March 17, 2026