42 U.S.C. § 4336d

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 4336d - E-NEPA

(a) Permitting portal study

The Council on Environmental Quality shall conduct a study and submit a report to Congress within 1 year of the enactment of this Act¹ on the potential for online and digital technologies to address delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency under section 4332(2)(C) of this title including, but not limited to, a unified permitting portal that would-

(1) allow applicants to-

(A) submit required documents or materials for their project in one unified portal;

(B) upload and collaborate with the applicable agencies to edit documents in real-time, as required;

(C) upload and display visual features such as video, animation, geographic information system displays, and three-dimensional renderings; and

(D) track the progress of individual applications;

(2) include a cloud based, digital tool for more complex reviews that would enhance interagency coordination in consultation by-

(A) centralizing, across all necessary agencies, the data, visuals, and documents, including but not limited to geographic information system displays, other visual renderings, and completed reports and analyses necessary for reviews;

(B) streamlining communications between all necessary agencies and the applicant;

(C) allowing for comments and responses by and to all necessary agencies in one unified portal;

(D) generating analytical reports to aid in organizing and cataloguing public comments; and

(E) be² accessible on mobile devices;

(3) boost transparency in agency processes and present information suitable for a lay audience, including but not limited to-

(A) scientific data and analysis; and

(B) anticipated agency process and timeline; and

(4) include examples describing how at least five permits would be reviewed and processed through this portal.

(b) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated $500,000 for the Council on Environmental Quality to carry out the study directed by this section.

¹See References in Text note below.

²So in original. Probably should be "being".

42 U.S.C. § 4336d

Pub. L. 91-190, title I, §110, as added Pub. L. 118-5, div. C, title III, §321(b), June 3, 2023, 137 Stat. 44.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTThe enactment of this Act, referred to in subsec. (a), probably means the enactment of Pub. L. 118-5 which added this section to title I of Pub. L. 91-190 and was approved June 3, 2023.

project

The terms "federally assisted housing" and "project" mean-(A) a public housing project (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)] );(B) housing for which project-based assistance is provided under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f] ;(C) housing that is assisted under section 1701q of title 12;(D) housing that is assisted under section 1701q of title 12, as such section existed before November 28, 1990;(E) housing financed by a loan or mortgage insured under section 1715l(d)(3) of title 12 that bears interest at a rate determined under the proviso of section 1715l(d)(5) of title 12;(F) housing insured, assisted, or held by the Secretary or a State or State agency under section 1715z-1 of title 12;(G) housing constructed or substantially rehabilitated pursuant to assistance provided under section 8(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f(b)(2)], as in effect before October 1, 1983, that is assisted under a contract for assistance under such section; and(H) housing that is assisted under section 80131 of this title.