The CLOSE THE GAP Act streamlines the permitting process for broadband and wireless communications infrastructure on federal land managed by agencies including the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and others. The bill requires these agencies to establish uniform, standardized application procedures within one year, create online portals for permit applications, and provide public tracking of application status with written explanations for denials. It eliminates certain environmental review requirements for projects on previously disturbed land and for safety improvements to existing facilities, while allowing agencies to retain fees collected from applicants to hire staff and speed up permit processing. The legislation also establishes a working group of federal land management agencies to coordinate permit reviews and work with the Federal Communications Commission to identify areas lacking broadband service that might benefit from infrastructure on federal rights-of-way. The bill aims to reduce delays in broadband deployment to underserved and unserved communities while maintaining competitive, nondiscriminatory treatment of applicants.
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