This bill requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to submit a plan to two congressional committees within 180 days. The plan must describe how the Assistant Secretary will track the acceptance, processing, and disposal of each Form 299 used to request communications use authorization on covered land. The plan must also describe how applicants will get additional transparency about the status of their Form 299, how the plan will be implemented as quickly as possible, and any potential barriers to implementation. The bill text includes definitions: "Form 299" (as established under section 6409(b)(2)(A) or a successor form); "communications use authorization" (an easement, right-of-way, lease, license, or other authorization provided by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to locate or modify a communications facility on covered land); and "covered land" (public lands or National Forest System land). The appropriate congressional committees are the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
If you submit a Form 299 to request permission to place or modify a communications facility on public lands or National Forest System land, this bill would require a plan to be produced that explains how each Form 299 will be tracked and how you can see the status of your form. The bill sets a 180-day deadline for the Assistant Secretary to deliver that plan. The bill text does not itself change how authorizations are granted or decided.
No publicly available information.
The bill directs the Assistant Secretary to create a formal plan to track Form 299 submissions, increase transparency for applicants about application status, and identify barriers to implementing that tracking and transparency.
No publicly available information.