42 U.S.C. § 4336d

Current through P.L. 118-78 (published on www.congress.gov on 07/30/2024)

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 Act ¹ 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) be ² 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.

¹ See References in Text note below.

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

42 U.S.C. § 4336d

Pub. L. 91-190, title I, §110, as added Pub. L. 118-5, §321, 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 8013 1 of this title.