To require the Council on Environmental Quality to submit to Congress a report on the potential for online and digital technologies to address delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.

Bill: 118-hr-3767
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Graves, Garret [R-LA-6]
Introduced: 2023-05-31
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Latest action: action_date: 2023-05-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-31
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <html><body><p>This bill directs the Council on Environmental Quality to study the potential for online and digital technologies, including a unified permitting portal, to address any delays in environmental reviews of federal actions and improve public accessibility and transparency under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.</p></body></html>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3767 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 31, 2023 Mr. Graves of Louisiana (for himself and Ms. Hoyle of Oregon ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To require the Council on Environmental Quality to submit to Congress a report on the potential for online and digital technologies to address delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.

1. E–NEPA (a) Permitting portal study The Council on Environmental Quality shall conduct a study and submit a report to Congress within 1 year of the enactment of this Act on the potential for online and digital technologies to address delays in reviews and improve public accessibility and transparency under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) ) including, but not limited to, a unified permitting portal that would— (1) allow applicants to— (A) submit required documents or materials for their project in one unified portal; (B) upload and collaborate with the applicable agencies to edit documents in real-time, as required; (C) upload and display visual features such as video, animation, geographic information system displays, and three-dimensional renderings; and (D) track the progress of individual applications; (2) include a cloud based, digital tool for more complex reviews that would enhance interagency coordination in consultation by— (A) centralizing, across all necessary agencies, the data, visuals, and documents, including but not limited to geographic information system displays, other visual renderings, and completed reports and analyses necessary for reviews; (B) streamlining communications between all necessary agencies and the applicant; (C) allowing for comments and responses by and to all necessary agencies in one unified portal; (D) generating analytical reports to aid in organizing and cataloguing public comments; and (E) be accessible on mobile devices; (3) boost transparency in agency processes and present information suitable for a lay audience, including but not limited to— (A) scientific data and analysis; and (B) anticipated agency process and timeline; and (4) include examples describing how at least five permits would be reviewed and processed through this portal. (b) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $500,000 for the Council on Environmental Quality to carry out the study directed by this section.