Federal Permitting Improvement Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1397
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2013-07-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Aviation and airports
Congressional oversight
Electric power generation and transmission
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Infrastructure development
Intergovernmental relations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Judicial review and appeals
Licensing and registrations
Manufacturing
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Oil and gas
Performance measurement
Pipelines
Roads and highways
State and local government operations
Water resources funding
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-30
text: 
Federal Permitting Improvement Act of 2013 - Establishes the Federal Permitting Improvement Council to be chaired by a Federal Chief Permitting Officer (Federal CPO) who is an officer of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
 
Requires the Federal CPO to: (1) establish an inventory of covered projects for which the review or authorization of the head of any federal agency is pending, (2) develop nonbinding performance schedules for reviews and authorizations of each category of covered projects, and (3) maintain an online database, to be known as the Permitting Dashboard, to track the status of federal reviews and authorizations for any covered project. Defines "covered project" as any construction activity that requires authorization or review by a federal agency and that: (1) involves renewable or conventional energy production, electricity transmission, surface transportation, aviation, ports and waterways, water resource projects, broadband, manufacturing, or any other sector as determined by the Federal CPO; and (2) is likely to require an initial investment of more than $25 million. 
 
Requires an agency with principal responsibility for review and authorization of a covered project (lead agency) to establish: (1) a plan for coordinating public and agency participation in, and completion of, any required federal review and authorization for a covered project and submit such plan to the Federal CPO; (2) a permitting timetable that includes intermediate and final deadlines for agency action on any federal review or authorization required for a project; and (3) a process for consultation with participating agencies early in the approval process to identify and address key issues of concern.
 
Grants the consent of Congress for three or more contiguous states to enter into an interstate compact establishing regional infrastructure development agencies to facilitate authorization and review of covered projects. 
 
Requires agencies to complete environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for covered projects in a timely, coordinated, and environmentally responsible manner. 
 
Reduces the statute of limitations for judicial review of any authorization issued by an agency for a covered project from 6 years to 150 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register that authorization for a covered project is final. Requires a court, in issuing injunctive relief, to consider the potential for significant job losses or other economic harm from an order or injunction. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-03-11
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 113-371.
action_date: 2013-07-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2013-07-30
text: Introduced in Senate