[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3327 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3327

    To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue categorical 
   exclusions from environmental assessment requirements for certain 
        highway construction activities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 2, 2011

Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Owens, Mr. Guinta, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Gosar, 
 Mr. Broun of Georgia, and Mr. Westmoreland) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue categorical 
   exclusions from environmental assessment requirements for certain 
        highway construction activities, 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 ``Beneficial Upgrades for Investment 
and Local Development of Bridges Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS FOR CERTAIN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION 
              ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Issuance.--The Secretary of Transportation shall issue 
categorical exclusions from the requirement that an environmental 
assessment or an environmental impact statement under section 102 of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) be 
prepared for the following actions:
            (1) Bridge preventative maintenance, rehabilitation, or 
        replacement activities that--
                    (A) occur on a bridge that is not on the Interstate 
                System; and
                    (B) in the case of a bridge replacement, occur on a 
                bridge that is on or near the existing roadway 
                alignment, with a width functionally consistent with 
                the existing or planned roadway.
            (2) Modernization of a highway (other than a highway on the 
        Interstate System) by resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation, 
        reconstruction, adding shoulders, or adding auxiliary lanes 
        (e.g., parking, weaving, turning, climbing).
            (3) Public and private utilities rehabilitation, 
        reconstruction, and replacement along or within an existing or 
        planned highway right-of-way.
    (b) Effect of Categorical Exclusions.--In developing categorical 
exclusions under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that the 
actions described in subsection (a) receive the treatment provided for 
actions under section 771.117(c) of title 23, Code of Federal 
Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Interstate system.--The term ``Interstate System'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 23, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Public and private utilities.--the term ``public and 
        private utilities'' means public and private highway and 
        drainage appurtenances, including water, sewer, street 
        lighting, gas, and telecommunications facilities and equipment.
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