[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8607-8608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4308]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY


White House Task Force on Energy Project Streamlining

AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On May 18, 2001, the President signed Executive Order 13212, 
recognizing the importance of environmentally sound production and 
transmission of energy to all American people. The Order established a 
Federal interagency task force (Task Force), chaired by the Chairman of 
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), to work with and monitor 
Federal Agencies' efforts to expedite their review of permits or take 
other actions necessary to accelerate and make more efficient the 
Federal decision making process for energy related projects, while 
maintaining safety, public health, and environmental protections. This 
Task Force was also charged with helping Agencies create mechanisms to 
coordinate Federal, State, tribal and local permitting in geographic 
areas where increased permitting activity is expected.
    CEQ announces: (1) The availability of a proceedings report of the 
first year of effort by the Task Force; (2) invites suggestions for 
newly proposed or upcoming energy-related projects or issues that may 
benefit from facilitation by the Task Force in the decision making 
process; (3) extends an invitation to any interested party to request a 
meeting with the Task Force to discuss newly proposed or upcoming 
renewable or conventional energy-related projects, environmental 
mitigation measures, best practices, or other topics that would help 
establish a more effective and efficient decision making process to 
allow the Nation's energy resources to be available to the American 
public in an environmentally responsible and safe manner.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before October 1, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the proceedings report can be obtained 
at: http://www.etf.energy.gov. If you would like a printed copy, please 
mail a request to Records Manager, White House Task Force on Energy 
Project Streamlining, WH-1, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 
20585. Printed copies will be available by March 1, 2003.
    Written suggestions for newly proposed or upcoming energy-related 
projects or issues that may benefit from facilitation of the decision 
making process by the Task Force, may be submitting by using the 
downloadable word processing forms found at http://www.etf.energy.gov. 
You may submit your comments or completed form, as an attachment, to an 
e-mail addressed to [email protected]. You may fax a copy of 
your comments to 202-586-2999, Attn: Director or mail your comments to 
Director, White House Task Force on Energy Project Streamlining, WH-1, 
1000 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20585.
    Requests for meetings with the Task Force may be made by calling 
(202) 586-3464 or by utilizing the downloadable form and e-mailing it 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: White House Task Force on Energy 
Project Streamlining at (202) 586-3464.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Abstract

    Executive Order 13212, signed by the President in Washington, DC, 
on May 18, 2001, Actions to Expedite Energy-Related Projects, 
established a Federal interagency task force, chaired by the Chairman, 
CEQ, to work with and monitor Federal Agencies in their efforts to 
expedite their review of permits or similar actions, as necessary, to 
accelerate the completion of energy related projects, increase energy 
production and conservation, and improve transmission of energy. In 
addition, the Task Force would monitor and assist Agencies in setting 
up appropriate mechanisms to coordinate Federal, State, tribal, and 
local permitting in geographic areas where increased permitting 
activity is expected.
    The Task Force worked during the first year to address ongoing 
permit application issues for a wide variety of energy projects that 
were submitted in response to the Federal Register notice published on 
August 20, 2001 (66 FR 43586), requesting comments from the public. By 
working through an operational approach that facilitated interagency 
coordination and addressed impediments to Federal Agencies' 
finalization of decisions on energy-related projects, the Task Force 
helped manage the Federal Agency decision making process by setting 
priorities, scheduling activities in accordance with those priorities, 
identifying staffing and resource needs, facilitating issue resolution, 
and measuring the achievements of federal agencies in implementing 
Executive Order 13212.
    The experience gained by the Task Force-while helping to streamline 
decisions about energy-related projects and working to resolve 
coordination issues--made it apparent that to identify and implement 
processes that address systemic improvements and, where appropriate, 
regulatory or legislative changes, the Task Force needed to be involved 
as early in the permit process as possible. This would allow the Task 
Force to identify impediments, to resolve interagency priority 
conflicts, to help incorporate and resolve environmental issues, and to 
develop more streamlined processes at an earlier stage in the permit 
application decision process.
    To that end, the Council on Environmental Quality requests 
suggestions of energy-related projects that have either recently been 
submitted for permit approvals or will be submitted within nine (9) 
months of this notice and which meet the Administration's goal of 
providing for the environmentally sound production and transmission of 
energy to all

[[Page 8608]]

American people. The Council on Environmental Quality also requests 
submission of environmental mitigation measures, best practices, 
alternative dispute resolution, or other topics that would help 
establish a more effective and efficient decision making process.
    The Council on Environmental Quality expects to receive information 
from many interested persons (e.g., public interest groups, government, 
academia, industry) about particular energy projects and opportunities 
to improve agency decision-making on energy projects.

    Dated: February 19, 2003.
James L. Connaughton,
Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality.
[FR Doc. 03-4308 Filed 2-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3125-01-M