[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3
To improve the environmental review process for Federal-aid highway
projects through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based
platforms, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 17, 2022
Ms. Lummis (for herself, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Ossoff) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the environmental review process for Federal-aid highway
projects through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based
platforms, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Interactive Federal Review Act''.
SEC. 2. DIGITAL PLATFORMS FOR NEPA REVIEWS FOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS.
(a) In General.--In order to expedite the environmental review
process at Federal agencies and for the general public, and to
facilitate interactive public stakeholder engagement and understanding
of environmental impacts of projects under the Federal-aid highway
system, the Secretary of Transportation (referred to in this section as
the ``Secretary'') shall--
(1) encourage recipients of Federal highway funding to
utilize interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms when
carrying out environmental reviews under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) by
publishing the guidance described in subsection (b)(1); and
(2) select not less than 10 Federal-aid highway projects to
demonstrate the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based
platforms in carrying out the environmental impact analysis and
community engagement processes required under that Act, which
may include projects in States participating in the surface
transportation project delivery program under section 327 of
title 23, United States Code.
(b) Administration.--
(1) Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish technology-
neutral best practice guidance to encourage sponsors of
projects that receive Federal funds from the Secretary to use
an interactive, digital, cloud-based platform in carrying out
the environmental impact analysis and community engagement
processes required under the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
(2) Reports.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report
on the efficacy of using interactive, cloud-based
platforms in carrying out environmental impact analysis
and community engagement requirements under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), including--
(i) metrics that describe estimates of
achieved efficiencies, community engagement
measures, and efficiencies enjoyed across
Federal agencies; and
(ii) examples of digital workflows enabled.
(B) Publication of examples.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall publish on the website of the Department of
Transportation, and submit to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives, not less than 5 examples of
an environmental impact statement, environmental
assessment, or categorical exclusion document developed
using an interactive, digital, cloud-based platform.
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