Bill Details
HR.2318 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-03-25 - Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced Date
2025-03-25
Policy Area
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
6
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would require the Department of the Interior to update its permit process by building modern electronic systems for submitting, tracking, and storing permit applications and related documents. It also would create one online place on the department’s website where the public can find links to these permit systems and contact information for staff who help state, local, and Tribal governments. The goal is to reduce paperwork, improve service, and make permits easier to handle, while also making sure private or protected information is not released.
- The department would need to accept and process permit materials online, including applications, plans, payments, and other related communications, as much as practical.
- A central public website would have links to the department’s electronic permitting systems and contact information for help with permits.
- The Secretary of the Interior would have to give periodic progress updates to the House and Senate committees that oversee natural resources and energy.
- The bill would not allow protected information to be disclosed, would avoid creating duplicate systems, and would require the new systems to be consistent with existing environmental review rules for permits.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[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>