Accelerating Broadband Permits Act of 2026

This bill requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to create tools for tracking grant recipients under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, help executive agencies improve compliance with the statutory deadline for processing communications use applications, and make other related changes.

Sec. 2, Tracking BEAD progress and permits: The Assistant Secretary must create a public dashboard tracking each eligible entity's progress through major milestones under the BEAD Program, including the amount of grant funds expended and the number of locations where broadband service has been made available and utilized. The Assistant Secretary must also create a tool to help each eligible entity identify federal permit requirements for subgrantees and monitor their progress toward obtaining those permits.

Sec. 3, Tracking and improving processing times for communications use applications: Within 90 days of enactment, the Assistant Secretary must develop controls to ensure data accuracy for tracking processing times of communications use applications. The Assistant Secretary must analyze factors causing delays, take actions to address them, and provide an annual report to specified congressional committees. Within 90 days, the Assistant Secretary must also establish a method to alert agency employees to applications at risk of missing the 270-day deadline.

Sec. 4, Minimum broadband project cost: The definition of a "major Federal action" under the FAST Act is amended to include projects subject to NEPA that involve broadband infrastructure construction and are likely to require a total investment of more than $5,000,000.