and streamline the environmental impact statement proc-
ess as the process applies to the construction of Federal- 
aid highway and highway safety construction projects and 
public transportation projects. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall focus on current 
procedures for environmental impact statements and the 
feasibility modernizing those procedures to include new 
media and other communication techniques. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 270 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General shall submit to Congress a report on the results 
of the study. 
SEC. 5. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS. 
(a) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXPANDING LIST OF 
CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation, in consultation with the Administrator of the Fed-
eral Highway Administration and the Administrator of the 
Federal Transit Administration, shall develop rec-
ommendations for expanding the list of activities that are 
included within classes of action, identified in regulation 
by the Secretary, that are categorically excluded from re-
quirements for environmental assessments or environ-
mental impact statements pursuant to regulations promul-
gated by the Council on Environmental Quality under part 
1500 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations. 
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(b) PARTICIPATION OF RECIPIENTS.—In developing 
the recommendations, the Secretary shall solicit comments 
from States and other recipients of assistance under title 
23, United States Code, and chapter 53 of title 49, United 
States Code. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report on the recommendations de-
veloped under subsection (a). 
SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION OF HIGHWAY AND PUBLIC 
TRANSPORTATION 
PROJECTS 
WITH 
HIGH 
NON-FEDERAL SHARES. 
(a) HIGHWAY PROJECTS.—Section 106 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(j) ADMINISTRATION
OF PROJECTS WITH HIGH 
NON-FEDERAL SHARES.— 
‘‘(1) DELEGATION OF FEDERAL RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary 
may enter into an agreement to permit a State to 
assume all of the responsibilities of the Secretary for 
a project funded using amounts apportioned to the 
State under this title if the State certifies that— 
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‘‘(A) the project will be carried in accord-
ance with the requirements applicable to the 
project; and 
‘‘(B) at least two-thirds of the total cost of 
the project will be derived from State funds. 
‘‘(2) TERMINATION
OF
AGREEMENTS.—The 
Secretary may terminate an agreement entered into 
for a project under paragraph (1) if the Secretary 
determines that a requirement applicable to the 
project is not being met.’’. 
(b) PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.—Section 
5334 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(m) ADMINISTRATION OF PROJECTS WITH HIGH 
NON-FEDERAL SHARES.— 
‘‘(1) DELEGATION OF FEDERAL RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—The Secretary may enter into an agreement 
to permit a recipient of funds under section 5307 or 
5311 to assume all of the responsibilities of the Sec-
retary for a project funded using such funds if the 
recipient certifies that— 
‘‘(A) the project will be carried in accord-
ance with the requirements applicable to the 
project; and 
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‘‘(B) at least two-thirds of the total cost of 
the project will be derived from non-Federal 
sources. 
‘‘(2) TERMINATION
OF
AGREEMENTS.—The 
Secretary may terminate an agreement entered into 
for a project under paragraph (1) if the Secretary 
determines that a requirement applicable to the 
project is not being met.’’. 
SEC. 7. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMPT PAYMENTS AND AP-
PROVALS BY THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPOR-
TATION. 
(a) EXTENSION
OF HIGHWAY PROMPT PAYMENT 
PROGRAM TO OTHER DOT PROGRAMS.—The Secretary of 
Transportation shall extend the prompt payment program 
that applies to Federal-aid highway and highway safety 
construction projects to cover other transportation con-
struction projects for which funding is provided by the 
Secretary. 
(b) DEADLINES
FOR
FEDERAL
APPROVAL
AC-
TIONS.— 
(1) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Trans-
portation shall issue regulations to establish dead-
lines for Federal actions relating to the approval of 
projects under title 23, United States Code, and 
chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code. 
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(2) FAILURE
TO
MEET
APPROVAL
DEAD-
LINES.—Regulations issued under paragraph (1) 
shall provide that if an application is submitted to 
the Secretary for approval of a project under title 
23, United States Code, or chapter 53 of title 49, 
United States Code, and the Secretary does not act 
on the application on or before the deadline estab-
lished for that action under such regulations, the ap-
plication shall be treated as having been approved. 
(3) DEADLINE FOR ISSUANCE OF FINAL REGU-
LATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue final 
regulations under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 8. ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
Section 139(j)(2) of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Such activi-
ties may include activities that extend beyond environ-
mental work to other aspects and modes of program and 
project delivery.’’. 
Æ 
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