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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5509 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5509

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
To modernize permitting systems at the Department of the Interior, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Electronic Permitting Modernization 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMIT ACCESSIBILITY.

    (a) In General.--In order to improve the overall economy, 
efficiency, and management of operations and activities of the 
Department of the Interior (referred to in this section as the 
``Department''), reduce paperwork, and provide high-quality services 
and access to the public, the Secretary of the Interior shall, to the 
extent practicable--
            (1) design and deliver modernized electronic permitting 
        systems to accept, process, and record applications (including 
        plan submissions, payment activity, and other related 
        correspondence) for permits, forms, and other paperwork 
        required for activities regulated by the Department;
            (2) provide a centralized electronic permitting system 
        online repository, available to the public on the Department's 
        website, that includes--
                    (A) hyperlinks to facilitate navigation to all 
                Department electronic permitting systems; and
                    (B) with respect to permits, the contact 
                information for the appropriate Department employees 
                providing assistance to State, Tribal, and local 
                governments; and
            (3) provide to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
        Natural Resources of the Senate periodic updates on the 
        implementation of paragraphs (1) and (2).
    (b) Disclosure of Information Prohibited.--No information described 
in section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code, or protected from 
disclosure by another law of the United States shall be disclosed under 
this Act.
    (c) Duplication of Systems Not Permitted.--No system shall be 
duplicated under this Act.
    (d) Consultation.--In developing the permitting systems required 
under section 2 of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
consult with States, local governments, Indian Tribes and other 
stakeholders who apply for agency permits and will use the permitting 
systems.

SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH THE FISCAL 
              RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 2023.

     In developing the permitting systems required under section 2 of 
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the 
Department's electronic permitting systems are consistent with the 
priorities identified in section 110 of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336d) with respect to any permit that 
requires review under that Act.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 2024.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 5509

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To modernize permitting systems at the Department of the Interior, and 
                          for other purposes.
```