[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 20 (Monday, May 21, 2001)]
[Pages 770-771]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13212--Actions To Expedite Energy-Related Projects

May 18, 2001

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and in order to take 
additional steps to expedite the increased supply and availability of 
energy to our Nation, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. Policy. The increased production and transmission of 
energy in a safe and environmentally sound manner is essential to the 
well-being of the American people. In general, it is the policy of this 
Administration that executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall 
take appropriate actions, to the extent consistent with applicable law, 
to expedite projects that will increase the production, transmission, or 
conservation of energy.
    Sec. 2. Actions to Expedite Energy-Related Projects. For energy-
related projects, agencies shall expedite their review of permits or 
take other actions as necessary to accelerate the completion of such 
projects, while maintaining safety, public health, and environmental 
protections. The agencies shall take such actions to the extent 
permitted by law and regulation, and where appropriate.
    Sec. 3. Interagency Task Force. There is established an interagency 
task force (Task Force) to monitor and assist the 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. The Task Force also shall monitor

[[Page 771]]

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 shall be 
composed of representatives from the Departments of State, the Treasury, 
Defense, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Commerce, 
Transportation, the Interior, Labor, Education, Health and Human 
Services, Energy, Veterans Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, 
Central Intelligence Agency, General Services Administration, Office of 
Management and Budget, Council of Economic Advisers, Domestic Policy 
Council, National Economic Council, and such other representatives as 
may be determined by the Chairman of the Council on Environmental 
Quality. The Task Force shall be chaired by the Chairman of the Council 
on Environmental Quality and housed at the Department of Energy for 
administrative purposes.
    Sec. 4. Judicial Review. Nothing in this order shall affect any 
otherwise available judicial review of agency action. This order is 
intended only to improve the internal management of the Federal 
Government and does not create any right or benefit, substantive or 
procedural, enforceable at law or equity by a party against the United 
States, its agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or 
any other person.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 May 18, 2001.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:19 a.m., May 21, 
2001]

Note: This Executive order will be published in the Federal Register on 
May 22.