NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT

Amendments

Dept. of Commerce: clarify scope of major Federal action under National Environmental Policy Act relative to certain projects for production of semiconductors (S. 2228), S6005, S6010 [14DE]

Power resources: increase energy production, exports, infrastructure, and critical minerals processing, promote transparency, accountability, and permitting, and improve water quality certification (H.R. 1), H1483 [28MR], H1561, H1584, H1585, H1586, H1587, H1588, H1589, H1590, H1591, H1592, H1593, H1595, H1596, H1602, H1603, H1604, H1605, H1606, H1607, H1608, H1609, H1610, H1611, H1612, H1613, H1615 [29MR], H1662, H1663, H1665, H1666, H1668, H1669, H1670 [30MR]

Bills and resolutions

BLM: promote timely exploration for geothermal resources under geothermal leases (see H.R. 6482), H5936 [28NO]

Council on Environmental Quality: publish annual report on environmental reviews and causes of action based on compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (see H.R. 6129), H5227 [1NO]

——— submit report to Congress on potential for online and digital technologies to address delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency under National Environmental Policy Act (see H.R. 3767), H2707 [31MY]

Dept. of Commerce: clarify scope of major Federal action under National Environmental Policy Act relative to certain projects for production of semiconductors (see S. 2228), S2310 [11JY] (see H.R. 4549), H3205 [11JY]

Dept. of Energy: exempt certain Federal hydrogen programs that utilize zero-carbon emission sources from National Environmental Policy Act permitting requirements (see H.R. 2962), H2084 [27AP]

Dept. of the Interior: coordinate Federal and State permitting processes relative to construction of new surface water storage projects on Federal lands and designate Bureau of Reclamation as lead agency (see H.R. 186), H104 [9JA]

Depts. of Agriculture and the Interior: use certain previously completed environmental assessments and environmental impact statements to satisfy National Environmental Policy Act review requirements (see H.R. 1430), H1149 [7MR]

Ecology and environment: authorize assignment to States of Federal agency environmental review responsibilities (see H.R. 495), H322 [25JA]

——— clarify ambiguous provisions, align with relevant case law, reflect modern technologies, optimize interagency coordination, and improve environmental review process (see H.R. 1577), H1284 [14MR]

FAA: publish guidance and implementation procedures for unmanned aircraft systems with respect to environmental reviews (see H.R. 3958), H2786 [9JN]

FCC: exclude certain projects to place, modify, or construct eligible personal wireless facilities from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3289), H2342 [15MY]

——— exclude certain projects to place, modify, or construct eligible telecommunications service facilities from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3288), H2342 [15MY]

——— exclude certain projects to place and install communications facilities from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3342), H2346 [15MY]

——— exclude deployment of small personal wireless service facilities from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3323), H2345 [15MY]

——— exclude placement, installation, or rebuilding of communications facilities following declared wildfire emergency from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3296), H2343 [15MY]

——— exclude placement, installation, or rebuilding of communications facilities within brownfield sites from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3292), H2342 [15MY]

——— exclude projects to remove and replace communications equipment or services from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3280), H2342 [15MY]

——— exclude projects to replace or improve communications facilities following major disaster or Presidential emergency declaration from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3301), H2343 [15MY]

Federal Highway Administration: improve environmental review process for Federal aid highway projects through use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms (see S. 2319), S2460 [13JY] (see H.R. 4621), H3574 [13JY]

Government regulations: improve environmental review process for energy, infrastructure, and transportation projects (see S. 1449), S1533 [4MY]

——— reform Federal regulatory permitting and project review processes for energy and infrastructure projects (see S. 1399), S1463 [2MY]

Infrastructure: improve Federal permitting processes for certain projects (see S. 877), S859 [21MR]

Natural Gas Act: provide for Federal and State agency coordination in approval of certain authorizations (see H.R. 829), H708 [6FE] (see H.R. 1115), H864 [21FE]

Power resources: expedite permitting for oil, natural gas, and mineral development, increase energy production, and ensure Federal lands remain open to productive uses (see S. 1456), S1534 [4MY]

——— improve process to authorize construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of international border-crossing facilities for import and export of oil and natural gas and transmission of electricity (see S. 23), S54 [23JA] (see S. 989), S954 [27MR] (see H.R. 1058), H851 [17FE]

——— restart onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing, streamline permitting for energy infrastructure, and ensure transparency in energy development on Federal lands (see H.R. 1335), H1112 [3MR]

Roads and highways: streamline environmental review process for major projects (see H.R. 3316), H2344 [15MY]

Telecommunications: exclude certain broadband projects from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3297), H2343 [15MY]

——— exclude certain communications projects from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 4141), H2956 [15JN]

——— exclude certain facilities request from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3291), H2342 [15MY]

——— exclude requests for deployment or modification of communications facilities in floodplains from environmental or historical preservation review regulations (see H.R. 3311), H2344 [15MY]

Transportation: make airport-related projects and port development projects eligible for approval under State environmental laws and regulations instead of National Environmental Policy Act (see H.R. 4908), H4028 [26JY]

Letters

Lower Energy Costs Act: several environmental organizations, H1481–H1483 [28MR]

Restart onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing, streamline permitting for energy infrastructure, and ensure transparency in energy development on Federal lands: Representative Arrington, Committee on the Budget (House), H1486 [28MR]

——— Representative Glenn Thompson, Committee on Agriculture (House), H1486 [28MR]

——— Representative Westerman, Committee on Natural Resources (House), H1486 [28MR]

Motions

Remarks in House

Council on Environmental Quality: funding, H5279–H5281 [2NO]

——— prohibit funding to finalize, administer, or enforce proposed rule entitled ‘‘National Environmental Policy Act Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change’’, H5328, H5329 [2NO]

——— prohibit funding to finalize, implement, or enforce proposed rule entitled ‘‘National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions Phase 1’’, H5387, H5388 [3NO]

——— prohibit funding to finalize, implement, or enforce proposed rule entitled ‘‘National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions Phase 2’’, H5388 [3NO]

——— publish annual report on environmental reviews and causes of action based on compliance with National Environmental Policy Act, H5247 [2NO]

Courts: revise deadline for filing claim seeking judicial review of Federal action if such claim is related to protecting public health, H1488 [28MR]

Dept. of Energy: conduct study on streamlining regulatory approval timelines relative to new power plants by examining licensing and permitting processes of various energy sources, H1584 [29MR]

Ecology and environment: clarify ambiguous provisions, align with relevant case law, reflect modern technologies, optimize interagency coordination, and improve environmental review process, H5997 [30NO], E534 [7JN]

Fire prevention: exempt certain wildfire mitigation activities from certain environmental requirements, H1608, H1609 [29MR]

Pipelines: streamline environmental review process for certain pipeline projects, H1603, H1604 [29MR]

Power resources: ensure certain proposed energy regulations will lower costs for consumers, and prohibit additional oil and gas leasing on certain public lands, H1560 [29MR]

——— increase energy production, exports, infrastructure, and critical minerals processing, promote transparency, accountability, and permitting, and improve water quality certification (H.R. 1), H1441, H1454, H1455 [27MR], H1468, H1469, H1473, H1485–H1516, H1517–H1521 [28MR], H1537, H1541, H1542–H1615 [29MR], H1661, H1662–H1678, H1680, H1681, H1682 [30MR], H1883 [19AP], H3010 [21JN], H3486 [13JY], H4018 [26JY], H4046, H4053 [27JY], H4356 [18SE], H5067 [25OC], H5997 [30NO], H6930 [13DE], E285 [30MR]

Public utilities: establish categorical exclusion for electric utility rights-of-way, H1609, H1610 [29MR]

Remarks in Senate

Council on Environmental Quality: disapprove rule entitled ‘‘National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions’’, S1481 [3MY]

Dept. of Commerce: clarify scope of major Federal action under National Environmental Policy Act relative to certain projects for production of semiconductors (S. 2228), S2448 [13JY], S6009, S6010 [14DE]

Government regulations: clarify definition of ‘‘major Federal action’’ related to certain advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities, S1892 [1JN]

——— improve environmental review process for energy, infrastructure, and transportation projects (S. 1449), S1523 [4MY], S1877 [1JN]

——— reform Federal regulatory permitting and project review processes for energy and infrastructure projects, S1368 [26AP], S1479–S1483 [3MY], S1726 [18MY]

Power resources: expedite permitting for oil, natural gas, and mineral development, increase energy production, and ensure Federal lands remain open to productive uses (S. 1456), S1523 [4MY]

——— increase energy production, exports, infrastructure, and critical minerals processing, promote transparency, accountability, and permitting, and improve water quality certification (H.R. 1), S782 [15MR], S810 [16MR], S840 [21MR], S946 [27MR], S976 [28MR], S1030 [29MR], S1062 [30MR], S1221 [19AP], S1483 [3MY], S2017 [8JN]

Reports filed

Consideration of H.R. 1, Lower Energy Costs Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 260) (H. Rept. 118–30), H1526 [28MR]

Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 1058) (H. Rept. 118–24), H1407 [23MR]

Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Pipelines Act: Committee on Energy and Commerce (House) (H.R. 1115) (H. Rept. 118–23), H1407 [23MR]

Transparency, Accountability, Permitting, and Production of (TAPP) American Resources Act: Committee on Natural Resources (House) (H.R. 1335) (H. Rept. 118–28), H1407 [23MR]

Texts of

H. Res. 260, consideration of H.R. 1, Lower Energy Costs Act, H1474 [28MR]

H.R. 1, Lower Energy Costs Act, H1565–H1583 [29MR]

S. 2228, Building Chips in America Act, S6010 [14DE]