Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025”.
Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025
A BILL
To amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency.
Sec. 2 Prohibition on requiring authorizations for undersea fiber optic cables previously authorized by Federal or State agencies
The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 310 (16 U.S.C. 1441) the following:
“310A. Prohibition on requiring authorizations for undersea fiber optic cables previously authorized by Federal or State agencies
“(a) In general—Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary may not prohibit or require any authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a Federal or State agency authorizing such installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery.
“(b) Interagency cooperation—The Secretary may direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to engage in interagency cooperation under section 304(d) in any Federal agency action described in that section and involving the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.”