[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3767 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3767

To require the Council on Environmental Quality to submit to Congress a 
report on the potential for online and digital technologies to address 
  delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency 
  under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 31, 2023

     Mr. Graves of Louisiana (for himself and Ms. Hoyle of Oregon) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Council on Environmental Quality to submit to Congress a 
report on the potential for online and digital technologies to address 
  delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency 
  under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 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. 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 on the potential for online and digital 
technologies to address delays in reviews and improve public 
accessibility and transparency under section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) 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 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.
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