Companies that operate undersea fiber optic cables — the kind that carry most of the world's internet traffic — currently need separate approval from NOAA to work in national marine sanctuaries, even if they already have a federal or state license for that cable. This bill would eliminate that extra layer of permitting. If a cable has already been authorized by another federal or state agency, NOAA could not require additional authorization for installing, maintaining, repairing, or recovering it within a sanctuary.
Environmental Concerns
- NOAA sanctuary-specific authorization — Eliminated for undersea fiber-optic cables previously licensed by another federal or state agency
- National Marine Sanctuary review layer for covered cables — Removed for installation, maintenance, repair, and recovery activities
Transparency & Accountability
- Interagency cooperation provision — NOAA may engage in interagency review under section 304(d) for federal actions involving covered cables
Congressional Summary
This bill prohibits the Department of Commerce from enforcing certain permit requirements for activities related to undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries. Specifically, Commerce may not prohibit or require an authorization for any covered activities related to undersea fiber optic cables if a license, lease, or permit has been issued by a state or federal agency to authorize the covered activity. Covered activities are the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary.The bill also authorizes Commerce to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to engage in interagency cooperation regarding federal agency actions that are likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure a resource in a national marine sanctuary and involve covered activities.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-09-18
- Date Added
- 2026-04-09
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.