Sponsors
Introduced February 24, 2025 by Michael A. Rulli · Last progress February 24, 2025
The bill accelerates and lowers the cost of small-cell wireless deployment—potentially improving connectivity—by exempting covered projects from NEPA/NHPA review, but does so at the cost of reduced environmental and historic protections, diminished tribal consultation, less public oversight, and increased legal uncertainty for state and local governments.
Consumers and local communities will see faster deployment of small-cell wireless infrastructure and likely improved wireless service availability and network capacity because NEPA and NHPA reviews are barred for covered collocations/modifications.
Wireless providers and installers will face lower permitting burden and reduced administrative costs for routine collocation/modification projects, enabling quicker rollouts and potentially lower deployment costs.
Small wireless facility installers and related small businesses can deploy and modify equipment more quickly, which may increase business efficiency and jobs in installation and maintenance.
Indigenous and tribal communities may be deprived of NHPA/NEPA consultation and protections for projects affecting cultural or historic sites, reducing tribal input and protection of sacred or historic places.
Eliminating environmental and historic-preservation reviews for covered projects increases the risk of harm to historic resources and local environmental impacts near siting locations.
Taxpayers and the public will have reduced federal oversight and fewer opportunities for input on authorizations tied to wireless siting, limiting transparency and community voice over local impacts.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Exempts certain small collocations or modifications of personal wireless facilities from NEPA and NHPA review when a federal authorization applies.
Exempts small-scale collocations and modifications of personal wireless service facilities from federal environmental (NEPA) and historic-preservation (NHPA) review when those projects require or are subject to a federal authorization. The measure defines covered projects, eligible facilities, federal authorization, and other key terms and makes such covered projects neither a "major Federal action" for NEPA nor an "undertaking" for NHPA review.