Sec. 25009. INTERAGENCY INFRASTRUCTURE PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT CENTER
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## SEC. 25009 INTERAGENCY INFRASTRUCTURE PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT CENTER ###
(a)In General Section 102 of title 49, United States Code (as amended by section 14009), is amended— ####
(1)in subsection (a), by inserting “(referred to in this section as the ‘Department’)” after “Transportation”; ####
(2)in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by inserting “(referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’)” after “Transportation”; ####
(3)by redesignating subsection
(h)as subsection (i); and ####
(4)by inserting after subsection
(g)the following: > > ### “(h) Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center > > > #### “(1) Definitions > > In this subsection: > > > ##### “(A) Center > > The term ‘Center’ means the Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center established by paragraph (2). > > > ##### “(B) Project > > The term ‘project’ means a project authorized or funded under— > > > ###### “(i) > > this title; or > > > ###### “(ii) > > title 14, 23, 46, or 51. > > > #### “(2) Establishment > > There is established within the Office of the Secretary a center, to be known as the ‘Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center’. > > > #### “(3) Purposes > > The purposes of the Center shall be— > > > ##### “(A) > > to implement reforms to improve interagency coordination and expedite projects relating to the permitting and environmental review of major transportation infrastructure projects, including— > > > ###### “(i) > > developing and deploying information technology tools to track project schedules and metrics; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > improving the transparency and accountability of the permitting process; > > > ##### “(B) > > > ######
(i)> > to identify appropriate methods to assess environmental impacts; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > to develop innovative methods for reasonable mitigation; > > > ##### “(C) > > to reduce uncertainty and delays with respect to environmental reviews and permitting; and > > > ##### “(D) > > to reduce costs and risks to taxpayers in project delivery. > > > #### “(4) Executive director > > The Center shall be headed by an Executive Director, who shall— > > > ##### “(A) > > report to the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy; > > > ##### “(B) > > be responsible for the management and oversight of the daily activities, decisions, operations, and personnel of the Center; and > > > ##### “(C) > > carry out such additional duties as the Secretary may prescribe. > > > #### “(5) Duties > > The Center shall carry out the following duties: > > > ##### “(A) > > Coordinate and support implementation of priority reform actions for Federal agency permitting and reviews. > > > ##### “(B) > > Support modernization efforts at the operating administrations within the Department and interagency pilot programs relating to innovative approaches to the permitting and review of transportation infrastructure projects. > > > ##### “(C) > > Provide technical assistance and training to Department staff on policy changes, innovative approaches to project delivery, and other topics, as appropriate. > > > ##### “(D) > > Identify, develop, and track metrics for timeliness of permit reviews, permit decisions, and project outcomes. > > > ##### “(E) > > Administer and expand the use of online transparency tools providing for— > > > ###### “(i) > > tracking and reporting of metrics; > > > ###### “(ii) > > development and posting of schedules for permit reviews and permit decisions; > > > ###### “(iii) > > the sharing of best practices relating to efficient project permitting and reviews; and > > > ###### “(iv) > > the visual display of relevant geospatial data to support the permitting process. > > > ##### “(F) > > Submit to the Secretary reports describing progress made toward achieving— > > > ###### “(i) > > greater efficiency in permitting decisions and review of infrastructure projects; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > better outcomes for communities and the environment. > > > #### “(6) Innovative best practices > > > ##### “(A) In general > > The Center shall work with the operating administrations within the Department, eligible entities, and other public and private interests to develop and promote best practices for innovative project delivery. > > > ##### “(B) Activities > > The Center shall support the Department and operating administrations in conducting environmental reviews and permitting, together with project sponsor technical assistance activities, by— > > > ###### “(i) > > carrying out activities that are appropriate and consistent with the goals and policies of the Department to improve the delivery timelines for projects; > > > ###### “(ii) > > serving as the Department liaison to— > > > ###### “(I) > > the Council on Environmental Quality; and > > > ###### “(II) > > the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council established by section 41002(a) of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (42 U.S.C. 4370m-1(a)); > > > ###### “(iii) > > supporting the National Surface Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau (referred to in this paragraph as the ‘Bureau’) in implementing activities to improve delivery timelines, as described in section 116(f), for projects carried out under the programs described in section 116(d)(1) for which the Bureau administers the application process; > > > ###### “(iv) > > leading activities to improve delivery timelines for projects carried out under programs not administered by the Bureau by— > > > ###### “(I) > > coordinating efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the environmental review and permitting process; > > > ###### “(II) > > providing technical assistance and training to field and headquarters staff of Federal agencies with respect to policy changes and innovative approaches to the delivery of projects; and > > > ###### “(III) > > identifying, developing, and tracking metrics for permit reviews and decisions by Federal agencies for projects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). > > > ##### “(C) NEPA compliance assistance > > > ###### “(i) In general > > Subject to clause (ii), at the request of an entity that is carrying out a project, the Center, in coordination with the appropriate operating administrations within the Department, shall provide technical assistance relating to compliance with the applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and applicable Federal authorizations. > > > ###### “(ii) Assistance from the bureau > > For projects carried out under the programs described in section 116(d)(1) for which the Bureau administers the application process, the Bureau, on request of the entity carrying out the project, shall provide the technical assistance described in clause (i).” > . ###
(b)Conforming Amendment Section 116(f)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— ####
(1)by striking subparagraph (A); and ####
(2)by redesignating subparagraphs
(B)through
(D)and subparagraphs
(A)through (C), respectively.
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