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Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act

HR 1655 · In progress · last action June 10, 2025

<p><strong>Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act</strong></p><p>This bill exempts certain post-wildfire communications infrastructure projects from specified federal environmental and historic preservation review requirements.&nbsp;</p><p>Specifically, the bill exempts from review projects that (1) are to be carried out within five years of the declaration of a wildfire-related major disaster or emergency in a given area; (2) are to be carried out entirely within the area for which the major disaster or emergency was declared; and (3) will replace a communications facility damaged by the major disaster or emergency, or make improvements to a communications&nbsp;facility that are necessary for recovery or to prevent or mitigate a future major disaster or emergency. To qualify under the bill, a major disaster or emergency must have been declared by the President, a state governor, or a tribal chief executive.&nbsp;</p><p>The bill specifies that these projects are not considered <em>major federal actions</em> under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 or <em>undertakings</em> under the National Historic Preservation Act, thus exempting such projects from the review procedures required under those acts.</p>

Sponsor

Cliff Bentz (R-OR)

Associated votes

No votes recorded against this bill yet — vote coverage is a work in progress.

Official summary

<p><strong>Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act</strong></p><p>This bill exempts certain post-wildfire communications infrastructure projects from specified federal environmental and historic preservation review requirements.&nbsp;</p><p>Specifically, the bill exempts from review projects that (1) are to be carried out within five years of the declaration of a wildfire-related major disaster or emergency in a given area; (2) are to be carried out entirely within the area for which the major disaster or emergency was declared; and (3) will replace a communications facility damaged by the major disaster or emergency, or make improvements to a communications&nbsp;facility that are necessary for recovery or to prevent or mitigate a future major disaster or emergency. To qualify under the bill, a major disaster or emergency must have been declared by the President, a state governor, or a tribal chief executive.&nbsp;</p><p>The bill specifies that these projects are not considered <em>major federal actions</em> under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 or <em>undertakings</em> under the National Historic Preservation Act, thus exempting such projects from the review procedures required under those acts.</p>