- The framework shall also include guidance on the development of permitting timetables by the lead Federal agencies, in collaboration with Federal cooperating and participating agencies. Permitting timetables shall identify estimated intermediate and final completion dates for all environmental reviews and authorizations that are reasonably anticipated as being needed for a project, including the process for granting extensions of any established dates. The guidance shall specify that lead Federal agencies need not include the estimated intermediate and final completion dates of any such reviews or authorizations until the design of a project has sufficiently advanced so that they can be developed. In such cases, the guidance shall instruct lead Federal agencies to estimate when the project’s design will be advanced enough to determine such dates. The timelines shall account for any federally required decisions or permits that are assumed by, or delegated to, State, tribal, or local agencies and the extent to which any approval or permit to be issued by a Federal agency is dependent upon the issuance of such a decision or permit.
- CEQ and OMB shall also develop guidance for applying One Federal Decision whenever the lead agency is a State, tribal, or local agency exercising an assignment or delegation of an agency’s NEPA responsibilities.
(c) Dashboard. All projects subject to 23 U.S.C. 139 and “covered projects” under 42 U.S.C. 4370m shall be tracked on the Dashboard established under 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2(b). Other projects or classes of projects subject to special environmental review and authorization streamlining processes similar to those referenced in this subsection may also be tracked on the Dashboard at the discretion of the FPISC Executive Director. The dates for milestones of all projects tracked on the Dashboard shall be updated monthly, or on another appropriate timeline as may be determined by the FPISC Executive Director.
(d) Executive Order 13766. For purposes of implementing Executive Order 13766 of January 24, 2017 (Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects), all infrastructure projects that meet the criteria for, and are subject to, 23 U.S.C. 139, 33 U.S.C. 2348, or 42 U.S.C. 4370m–4370m–12 shall qualify as high priority projects under Executive Order 13766. Other projects or classes of projects subject to special environmental review and authorization streamlining processes, similar to those referenced in this subsection as may be determined by the FPISC Executive Director in consultation with OMB and CEQ, shall also qualify as high priority infrastructure projects under Executive Order 13766. The CEQ Chairman’s responsibilities under sections 2 and 3 of Executive Order 13766 shall be satisfied by referring the project to the FPISC Executive Director, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, as appropriate.
(e) Council on Environmental Quality.
- Directives. Within 30 days of the date of this order, the CEQ shall develop an initial list of actions it will take to enhance and modernize the Federal environmental review and authorization process. Such actions should include issuing such regulations, guidance, and directives as CEQ may deem necessary to:
- ensure optimal interagency coordination of environmental review and authorization decisions, including by providing for an expanded role and authorities for lead agencies, more clearly defined responsibilities for cooperating and participating agencies, and Government-wide applicability of NEPA decisions and analyses;
- ensure that environmental reviews and authorization decisions involving multiple agencies are conducted in a manner that is concurrent, synchronized, timely, and efficient;
- provide for agency use, to the maximum extent permitted by law, of environmental studies, analysis, and decisions conducted in support
