CLOSE THE GAP Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4561
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-19: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S2375-2377)
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-17T13:43:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to modernize and streamline the permitting process for broadband infrastructure, known as communications facilities, on federal land. Its goal is to reduce delays in approvals while maintaining environmental and historical review standards.
Key Provisions
- Requires federal land management agencies to issue uniform regulations within one year for processing applications, ensuring competitive neutrality, technology neutrality, and nondiscrimination.
- Mandates annual cost recovery fees based only on actual processing and oversight costs, with tracking of application data such as approvals, denials, and processing times.
- Designates communications projects as "covered projects" under the FAST Act, allowing them priority review regardless of investment size.
- Creates or adopts categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for upgrades to existing facilities that improve public safety, such as adding backup power.
- Exempts applications on previously analyzed federal land or existing infrastructure from new NEPA or historical reviews.
- Establishes online portals for electronic Standard Form 299 applications and allows agencies to retain collected fees for permitting activities.
- Forms a Federal Land Management Agency Working Group to coordinate reviews and identify unserved areas using federal data.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 by removing a paragraph on wireless facility modifications.
- Updates the FAST Act to include communications projects explicitly as covered projects.
- Introduces new authority for agencies to retain cost recovery fees in special Treasury accounts for broadband-related work, subject to appropriations.
- Provides exemptions from certain NEPA and historic preservation consultations on previously reviewed sites.
Potential Impacts
- Federal agencies may experience faster internal coordination and reduced administrative burdens through standardized processes and online tools.
- Broadband providers could see shorter approval timelines, potentially accelerating infrastructure deployment in underserved areas on federal land.
- Citizens in rural or remote regions might gain improved access to broadband services.
- No direct effects on international relations are addressed.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal land management agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Forest Service, and others under the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture.
- Telecommunications and broadband companies seeking permits for facilities on federal land.
- State and local governments or communities relying on federal land for connectivity projects.
- The Federal Communications Commission, through coordination on location data.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill limits certain environmental and historical reviews on previously analyzed land without altering core authorities under NEPA or real property laws.
- Savings clauses preserve existing agency powers and prior decisions on property sales or leases.
- It emphasizes interagency coordination but does not create new constitutional issues or override appropriations requirements for fee retention.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY], Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-19: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S2375-2377)
- 2026-05-19: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Closing Long Overdue Streamlining Encumbrances To Help Expeditiously Generate Approved Permits Act — issued 2026-05-19 — PDF (21 pages)