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Requires the Interior and Agriculture Secretaries to study whether their agencies face administrative or programmatic obstacles to timely reviewing requests to place or modify communications facilities on public lands and National Forests. They must jointly report findings to relevant congressional committees within one year and include a staffing plan for the organizational units that handle such reviews.
The bill aims to speed and standardize permitting for communications infrastructure on public lands—potentially improving broadband access and permitting predictability—but does so via studies and administrative changes that may delay action, raise taxpayer costs, create unequal prioritization, and,
Rural and urban communities and broadband customers could get faster deployment of cell towers and broadband on public lands if agencies identify and remove permitting bottlenecks.
Business owners and telecommunications companies (and other applicants) may face clearer, more predictable permitting rules if agencies recommend regulatory revisions to improve review efficiency.
BLM and Forest Service field/regional offices and permit applicants could receive targeted staffing to reduce delays in authorization decisions.
Nearby communities, recreation users, and environmental groups could face increased environmental or aesthetic impacts if faster approvals lead to relaxed environmental review on public lands.
Rural communities and broadband customers may wait longer for real permitting changes because the bill requires study and assessment without guaranteeing prompt action.
Taxpayers could face higher costs if agencies must hire or reassign personnel to implement staffing increases at BLM and the Forest Service.
Introduced September 17, 2025 by Thomas Kean · Last progress March 4, 2026