Sponsors (3)
The bill aims to speed and make more transparent communications authorizations on public lands—potentially improving rural broadband—while imposing some administrative costs and raising risks of local/environmental pushback and short-term coordination burdens.
Rural communities and utilities: a centralized tracking and processing plan for Form 299 applications could speed deployment of communications facilities, helping expand broadband and cellular service in underserved areas.
Applicants (utilities, energy companies, and state/local land managers): improved transparency about the status of communications authorizations will reduce uncertainty and waiting times for Form 299 applications.
State and local governments (and Congress): a required report to Congress within 180 days will increase oversight and accountability of Commerce's handling of communications use authorizations on public lands.
Rural communities and local governments: faster approvals for communications on public lands could raise local opposition or environmental concerns if outreach and safeguards are inadequate.
Taxpayers and federal employees: creating and running the centralized tracking system will require agency resources and could increase administrative costs or divert staff time from other tasks.
Interior and Agriculture departments (and affected state/local permitting offices): integrating existing permitting workflows with Commerce's tracking could create short-term coordination burdens and transition delays.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Commerce Assistant Secretary to submit, within 180 days, a plan to track Form 299 application processing, improve applicant status transparency, and identify implementation barriers.
Requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to deliver a plan within 180 days that explains how the department will track acceptance, processing, and disposal of Form 299 communications use authorization applications, improve applicant transparency about status, and identify how to implement the plan quickly and any barriers to doing so. The measure also defines key terms and lists which federal agencies manage public lands relevant to these authorizations.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by August Pfluger · Last progress April 21, 2026