Bill > S3284

This bill aims to allow larger transit agencies in urban areas with over 200,000 people to take on more responsibilities in the environmental review process for transportation projects, specifically related to "categorical exclusions" under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Under this legislation, eligible transit agencies can assume federal responsibilities for determining which project activities are exempt from detailed environmental impact assessments, provided they demonstrate sufficient legal, technical, and financial capacity. The bill establishes a process where transit agencies can enter into memoranda of understanding with the federal Department of Transportation, outlining their assumed responsibilities, with initial agreements lasting up to three years and potentially extending to five years for agencies with a decade of proven performance. The federal government would maintain oversight, with the ability to terminate an agency's assumed responsibilities if they fail to adequately carry out environmental review duties. Importantly, the bill allows these agencies to use federal transportation funds to cover attorney's fees directly related to these environmental review activities, and agencies assuming these responsibilities would be considered federal agencies for the purposes of the laws they are implementing. The goal is to streamline and potentially expedite transit project environmental reviews while maintaining necessary environmental protections.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3284/all-info