II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3 

To improve the environmental review process for Federal-aid highway projects 

through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 17, 2022 

Ms. LUMMIS (for herself, Mr. KELLY, and Mr. OSSOFF) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

A BILL 

To improve the environmental review process for Federalaid highway projects through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Interactive Federal Re5 view Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DIGITAL PLATFORMS FOR NEPA REVIEWS FOR 

7 HIGHWAY PROJECTS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—In order to expedite the environ9 mental review process at Federal agencies and for the genVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Nov 18, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3.IS S3

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1 eral public, and to facilitate interactive public stakeholder 

2 engagement and understanding of environmental impacts 

3 of projects under the Federal-aid highway system, the Sec4 retary of Transportation (referred to in this section as the 

5 ‘‘Secretary’’) shall— 

6 (1) encourage recipients of Federal highway 

7 funding to utilize interactive, digital, cloud-based 

8 platforms when carrying out environmental reviews 

9 under the National Environmental Policy Act of 

10 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) by publishing the 

11 guidance described in subsection (b)(1); and 

12 (2) select not less than 10 Federal-aid highway 

13 projects to demonstrate the use of interactive, dig14 ital, cloud-based platforms in carrying out the envi15 ronmental impact analysis and community engage16 ment processes required under that Act, which may 

17 include projects in States participating in the sur18 face transportation project delivery program under 

19 section 327 of title 23, United States Code. 

20 (b) ADMINISTRATION.— 

21 (1) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 90 days after 

22 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

23 shall publish technology-neutral best practice guid24 ance to encourage sponsors of projects that receive 

25 Federal funds from the Secretary to use an interVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Nov 18, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3.IS S3

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1 active, digital, cloud-based platform in carrying out 

2 the environmental impact analysis and community 

3 engagement processes required under the National 

4 Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 

5 et seq.). 

6 (2) REPORTS.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 

8 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

9 the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 

10 Environment and Public Works of the Senate 

11 and the Committee on Transportation and In12 frastructure of the House of Representatives a 

13 report on the efficacy of using interactive, 

14 cloud-based platforms in carrying out environ15 mental impact analysis and community engage16 ment requirements under the National Environ17 mental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

18 seq.), including— 

19 (i) metrics that describe estimates of 

20 achieved efficiencies, community engage21 ment measures, and efficiencies enjoyed 

22 across Federal agencies; and 

23 (ii) examples of digital workflows en24 abled. 


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1 (B) PUBLICATION OF EXAMPLES.—Not 

2 later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 

3 this Act, the Secretary shall publish on the 

4 website of the Department of Transportation, 

5 and submit to the Committee on Environment 

6 and Public Works of the Senate and the Com7 mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 

8 the House of Representatives, not less than 5 

9 examples of an environmental impact state10 ment, environmental assessment, or categorical 

11 exclusion document developed using an inter12 active, digital, cloud-based platform. 

Æ 


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