Electronic Permitting Modernization Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2318 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2318

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 25, 2025

  Ms. Ansari introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

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.
                                 <all>