Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Facilitating Optimal and Rapid Expansion and Siting of Telecommunications Act” or the “FOREST Act”.
Facilitating Optimal and Rapid Expansion and Siting of Telecommunications Act
A BILL
To streamline the permitting process for communications infrastructure on National Forest System lands.
Sec. 2 Exemption for previously analyzed areas of National Forest System lands
In general— The requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) or division A of subtitle 54, United States Code, shall not apply to an application for a communications use authorization on National Forest System lands, including National Forest System lands on which authorized utilities, communications facilities, powerline facilities or roads have been installed, if—
the communications equipment is located in or on existing infrastructure; or
the communications facility is located on previously analyzed areas of National Forest System lands.
No additional consultation required under certain circumstances— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation of the requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) or division A of subtitle 54, United States Code, for an application for a communications use authorization on previously analyzed areas of National Forest System lands if new information concerning a previously analyzed area of National Forest Service land becomes available.
Definitions— In this section:
Communications facility; communications use authorization— The terms communications facility and communications use authorization have the meanings given the terms, respectively, in section 8705 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (43 U.S.C. 1761a).
Previously analyzed areas of national forest system lands— The term previously analyzed areas of National Forest System lands means any National Forest Service land with respect to which the Secretary has—
granted, issued, and executed a communications use authorization; and
conducted sufficient environmental or historical reviews.
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.