,i #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dhdg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #ai1 #bjah,mrs4 ,brooks of ,indiana 7for herself and ,ms4 ,matsui7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,agriculture1 ,natural ,resources1 and ,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to streamline the process for consideration of applications for the placement of communications facilities on certain ,federal lands1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,broadband ,deployment ,streamlining ,act4 #b4 ,streamlining the ,department of the ,interior and the ,forest ,service process for consideration of communications facility location applications 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,communications facility ,the term communications facility includes-- 7,a7 any infrastructure1 including any transmitting device1 tower1 or support structure1 and any equipment1 switches1 wiring1 cabling1 power sources1 shelters1 or cabinets1 associated with the licensed or permitted unlicensed wireless or wireline transmission of writings1 signs1 signals1 data1 images1 pictures1 and sounds of all kinds2 and 7,b7 any antenna or apparatus that-- 7i7 is designed for the purpose of emitting radio frequency2 7ii7 is designed to be operated1 or is operating1 from a fixed location pursuant to authorization by the ,federal ,communications ,commission or is using duly authorized devices that do not require individual licenses2 and 7iii7 is added to a tower1 building1 or other structure4 7#b7 ,communications site ,the term communications site means an area of covered land designated for communications uses4 7#c7 ,communications use ,the term communications use means the placement and operation of communications facility4 7#d7 ,communications use authorization ,the term communications use authorization means an easement1 right-of-way1 lease1 license1 or other authorization to locate or modify a communications facility on covered land by the ,department concerned for the primary purpose of authorizing the occupancy and use of the covered land for communications use4 7#e7 ,covered land ,the term covered land means-- 7,a7 public land administered by the ,secretary of the ,interior2 and 7,b7 ,national ,forest ,system land4 7#f7 ,department concerned ,the term ,department concerned means the ,department of the ,interior or the ,department of ,agriculture4 7#g7 ,organizational unit ,the term organizational unit means-- 7,a7 with respect to public land administered by the ,secretary of the ,interior-- 7i7 a ,state office2 7ii7 a district office2 or 7iii7 a field office2 and 7,b7 within the ,forest ,service-- 7i7 a regional office2 7ii7 the headquarters2 7iii7 a management unit2 or 7iv7 a ranger district office4 7#h7 ,secretary concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 with respect to public land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land4 7b7 ,regulations ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary concerned shall issue regulations-- 7#a7 to streamline the process for considering applications to locate or modify communications facilities on covered land of the ,department concerned2 7#b7 to ensure1 to the maximum extent practicable1 that the process is uniform and standardized across the organizational units of the ,department concerned2 and 7#c7 to require that the applications described in paragraph 7#a7 be considered and granted on a competitively neutral1 technology neutral1 and non-discriminatory basis4 7c7 ,requirements ,the regulations issued under subsection 7b7 shall include the following3 7#a7 ,procedures for the tracking of applications described in subsection 7b77#a71 including-- 7,a7 identifying the number of applications-- 7i7 received2 7ii7 approved2 and 7iii7 denied2 7,b7 in the case of an application that is denied1 describing the reasons for the denial2 and 7,c7 describing the amount of time between the receipt of an application and the issuance of a final decision on an application4 7#b7 ,provision for minimum lease terms of not less than five years for leases with respect to the location of communications facilities on covered land4 7#c7 ,a policy under which a communications use authorization renews automatically on expiration1 unless the communications use authorization is revoked for good cause2 and 7#d7 ,a structure of fees for-- 7,a7 submitting an application described in subsection 7b77#a71 based on the cost to the ,department concerned of considering such an application2 and 7,b7 issuing communications use authorizations1 based on the cost to the ,department concerned of any maintenance or other activities required to be performed by the ,department concerned as a result of the location or modification of the communications facility4 7d7 ,additional considerations ,in issuing regulations under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary concerned shall consider-- 7#a7 how discrete reviews in considering an application described in subsection 7b77#a7 can be conducted simultaneously1 rather than sequentially1 by any organizational units of the ,department concerned that must approve the location or modification2 and 7#b7 how to eliminate overlapping requirements among the organizational units of the ,department concerned with respect to the location or modification of a communications facility on covered land administered by those organizational units4 7e7 ,communication of streamlined process to organizational units ,the ,secretary concerned shall1 with respect to the regulations issued under subsection 7b7-- 7#a7 communicate the regulations to the organizational units of the ,department concerned2 and 7#b7 ensure that the organizational units of the ,department concerned follow the regulations4 7f7 ,deposit and ,availability of fees 7#a7 ,special account ,the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall establish a special account in the ,treasury for each ,department concerned for the deposit of fees collected by the ,department concerned under subsection 7c77#d7 for communications use authorizations on covered land granted1 issued1 or executed by the ,department concerned4 7#b7 ,requirements for fees collected ,fees collected by the ,department concerned under subsection 7c77#d7 shall be-- 7,a7 based on the costs described in subsection 7c77#d72 and 7,b7 competitively neutral1 technology neutral1 and nondiscriminatory with respect to other users of the communications site4 7#c7 ,deposit of fees ,fees collected by the ,department concerned under subsection 7c77#d7 shall be deposited in the special account established for that ,department concerned under paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,availability of fees ,amounts deposited in the special account for a ,department concerned shall be available1 to the extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation ,acts1 to the ,secretary concerned to cover costs incurred by the ,department concerned described in subsection 7c77#d71 including the following3 7,a7 ,preparing needs assessments or other programmatic analyses necessary to designate communications sites and issue communications use authorizations4 7,b7 ,developing management plans for communications sites4 7,c7 ,training for management of communications sites4 7,d7 ,obtaining or improving access to communications sites4 7#e7 ,no additional appropriations authorized ,except as provided in paragraph 7#d71 no other amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section4 #c4 ,wireless facilities deployment on ,federal property ,section #fdji7;b7 of the ,middle ,class ,tax ,relief and ,job ,creation ,act of #bjab 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #adee7;b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 ,timely consideration of applications 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #bgj days after the date on which an executive agency receives a duly filed application for an easement or right-of-way under this subsection1 the executive agency shall-- 7i7 grant or deny1 on behalf of the ,federal ,government1 the application2 and 7ii7 notify the applicant of the grant or denial4 7,b7 ,explanation of denial ,if an executive agency denies an application under subparagraph 7,a71 the executive agency shall notify the applicant in writing1 including a clear statement of the reasons for the denial4 7,c7 ,deemed granted ,if an executive agency does not grant or deny a duly filed application under subparagraph 7,a7 by the deadline set forth in such subparagraph1 the executive agency shall be deemed to have granted the application4 7,d7 ,applicability of environmental laws ,nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to relieve an executive agency of the requirements of division ,a of subtitle ,,iii of title #ed1 ,united ,states ,code1 or the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq474 7,e7 ,point of contact ,upon receiving an application under subparagraph 7,a71 an executive agency shall designate one or more appropriate individuals within the executive agency to act as a point of contact with the applicant4 7,f7 ,rule of construction ,an application shall not be considered duly filed for purposes of this paragraph unless the application is complete4 4 #d4 ,,gao report 7a7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report evaluating-- 7#a7 how the ,federal ,communications ,commission ensures that the broadband data collected for the ,national ,broadband ,map is accurate1 complete1 and reliable1 including-- 7,a7 the source of the data2 and 7,b7 whether data may be available from alternative commercial sources2 7#b7 the extent to which ,federal agencies or other entities authorized to distribute ,federal grants or loans for broadband projects rely on data from the ,national ,broadband ,map to-- 7,a7 award grants or loans for broadband projects2 or 7,b7 determine whether ,federal ,government funds will be used to deploy broadband in areas already served by private broadband providers2 7#c7 the actions the ,federal ,communications ,commission has taken or plans to take to address the limitations1 if any1 in using data from the ,national ,broadband ,map for policy or funding decisions2 7#d7 the extent to which interested parties have challenged the accuracy of information on the ,national ,broadband ,map1 including how the challenges were resolved2 and 7#e7 whether the ,federal ,communications ,commission should collect data for the ,national ,broadband ,map from additional or alternative commercial sources4 7b7 ,national ,broadband ,map defined ,in this section1 the term ,national ,broadband ,map means the map established by the ,national ,telecommunications and ,information ,administration under section #fjja7l7 of the ,american ,recovery and ,reinvestment ,act of #bjji 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #acje7l774