Bill > S2873

This bill, known as the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025, amends the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prevent the Secretary of the relevant agency from requiring additional authorization for undersea fiber optic cables that have already been licensed, permitted, or approved by a federal or state agency. Specifically, the bill prohibits blocking or demanding new permits for the installation, maintenance, operation, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables within national marine sanctuaries if those cables have previously received authorization from another government agency. The bill also allows the Secretary to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to engage in interagency cooperation regarding any federal agency actions involving these undersea cables. This legislation aims to streamline the regulatory process and reduce potential bureaucratic obstacles for telecommunications infrastructure projects in marine protected areas, ensuring that cables that have already met existing federal or state regulatory standards can continue to be maintained and operated without additional marine sanctuary-specific permitting.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2873/all-info