MODERNIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.

SEC. 2232. [42 U.S.C. 3211 note] MODERNIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS. (a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the efforts of the Secretary to facilitate efficient, timely, and predictable environmental reviews of projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.), including through expanded use of categorical exclusions or programmatic environmental documents (as those terms are defined in section 111 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336e)). (b) Requirements.—In completing the report under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) describe the actions the Secretary will take to implement the amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) made by section 321 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118-5; 137 Stat. 38); (2) describe the existing categorical exclusions most frequently used by the Secretary to streamline the environmental review of projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.); and (3) consider— (A) the adoption of additional categorical exclusions, including those used by other Federal agencies, that would facilitate the environmental review of projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.); (B) the adoption of new programmatic environmental documents that would facilitate the environmental review of projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.); and (C) agreements with other Federal agencies that would facilitate a more efficient process for the environmental review of projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.). (c) Rulemaking.—Not later than 2 years after the submission of the report under subsection (a), the Secretary shall promulgate a final rule implementing, to the maximum extent practicable, measures considered by the Secretary under subsection (b) that are necessary to streamline the environmental review of projects funded by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.).