IIB 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5509 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources 

AN ACT 

To modernize permitting systems at the Department of the 

Interior, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Electronic Permitting 

3 Modernization Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMIT ACCESSI5 BILITY. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—In order to improve the overall 

7 economy, efficiency, and management of operations and 

8 activities of the Department of the Interior (referred to 

9 in this section as the ‘‘Department’’), reduce paperwork, 

10 and provide high-quality services and access to the public, 

11 the Secretary of the Interior shall, to the extent prac12 ticable— 

13 (1) design and deliver modernized electronic 

14 permitting systems to accept, process, and record 

15 applications (including plan submissions, payment 

16 activity, and other related correspondence) for per17 mits, forms, and other paperwork required for activi18 ties regulated by the Department; 

19 (2) provide a centralized electronic permitting 

20 system online repository, available to the public on 

21 the Department’s website, that includes— 

22 (A) hyperlinks to facilitate navigation to 

23 all Department electronic permitting systems; 

24 and 

25 (B) with respect to permits, the contact in26 formation for the appropriate Department emVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:10 Sep 26, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5509.RFS H5509

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1 ployees providing assistance to State, Tribal, 

2 and local governments; and 

3 (3) provide to the Committee on Natural Re4 sources of the House of Representatives and the 

5 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 

6 Senate periodic updates on the implementation of 

7 paragraphs (1) and (2). 

8 (b) DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION PROHIBITED.— 

9 No information described in section 552(b) of title 5, 

10 United States Code, or protected from disclosure by an11 other law of the United States shall be disclosed under 

12 this Act. 

13 (c) DUPLICATION OF SYSTEMS NOT PERMITTED.— 

14 No system shall be duplicated under this Act. 

15 (d) CONSULTATION.—In developing the permitting 

16 systems required under section 2 of this Act, the Secretary 

17 of the Interior shall consult with States, local govern18 ments, Indian Tribes and other stakeholders who apply 

19 for agency permits and will use the permitting systems. 

20 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO ENSURE CONSIST21 ENCY WITH THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY 

22 ACT OF 2023. 

23 In developing the permitting systems required under 

24 section 2 of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 

25 ensure that the Department’s electronic permitting sysVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:10 Sep 26, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5509.RFS H5509

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1 tems are consistent with the priorities identified in section 

2 110 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

3 U.S.C. 4336d) with respect to any permit that requires 

4 review under that Act. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 

2024. 

Attest: KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 

Clerk. 


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