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Committee approves Undersea Cable Protection Act after dispute over NOAA permits, fees and sanctuary protections
Summary
The Undersea Cable Protection Act (H.R. 2,61) was amended in the nature of a substitute and reported out of committee. Proponents said the bill removes duplicative permitting hurdles for undersea cables in national marine sanctuaries; opponents warned it would strip NOAA of authorities to require environmental safeguards, bonding, fees and tribal
The House Natural Resources Committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute and ordered reported H.R. 2,61, the Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025, after contentious debate over whether the bill would remove essential NOAA oversight of projects in National Marine Sanctuaries.
Representative Buddy Carter, sponsor of the bill, and Chair Westerman argued the measure would streamline permitting for undersea fiber‑optic cables that carry the bulk of global internet traffic, saying the bill does not exempt projects from statutes such as the National Environmental Policy Act but would eliminate the need for a separate National Marine Sanctuary Act special‑use permit when other federal and state permits are in…
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