Summary of HR 2817 — Coastal Broadband Deployment Act

Overview

• Bill number: HR 2817
• Title: Coastal Broadband Deployment Act
• Introduced: April 10, 2025
• Status: Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
• Sponsor: Gus M. Bilirakis (primary)

What is known about the bill’s trajectory

• Legislative actions to date: The bill was referred on April 10, 2025 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and, in addition, to the Committee on Natural Resources for consideration of provisions within their jurisdictions. This is a typical step for a bill that touches both communications/commerce and coastal/natural resources issues.
• This is an early stage; no floor action or markups are listed in the provided information. Full text and a formal summary would be released if and when committees publish a bill, hold hearings, or advance it.

Purpose and intent (inferred from the title)

• The title “Coastal Broadband Deployment Act” indicates an objective to facilitate or accelerate the deployment of broadband infrastructure in coastal areas. The exact statutory mechanisms, funding, or regulatory changes are not specified in the information provided.

Potential provisions (not specified in the provided text)

• Given the title, possible areas such a bill might address (these are not confirmed by the text you provided and should be verified against the final bill text):
  • Funding or subsidies to support broadband deployment in coastal communities (grants, loans, or tax incentives).
  • Streamlining permitting or reducing regulatory barriers for infrastructure deployment (e.g., siting, environmental reviews, right-of-way processes) in coastal regions.
  • Federal-state-local coordination to identify coastal deployment gaps and prioritize projects.
  • Data collection and mapping requirements to improve visibility of coastal broadband gaps.
  • Provisions to encourage resilience and climate-adaptation considerations in broadband infrastructure.

Important: The above are common features in broadband deployment legislation and are not confirmed provisions of HR 2817 themselves. The exact text would specify the authorities, funding levels, timelines, eligible recipients, and compliance requirements.

Who would be affected

• Coastal communities and residents seeking improved broadband access.
• Broadband providers and utility/infrastructure developers pursuing coastal deployments.
• Federal agencies involved in communications, energy, environmental resources, and coastal management (e.g., agencies under Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources jurisdictions).
• State, local, and tribal governments partnering on coastal deployment initiatives.

Timeline and next steps

• Next steps will depend on committee actions: hearings, potential amendments, and a markup vote. If advanced, the bill would proceed to floor consideration and, potentially, to the Senate or conference committee.
• For updates, monitor the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Natural Resources for the latest text, amendments, and scheduling.

Notes

• This summary reflects only the basic metadata and the bill’s title. The full text is needed for a detailed, clause-by-clause summary of provisions, funding, timelines, and compliance requirements.