,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dfbj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #ag1
 #bjbj,mr4 ,lee introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,environment and  
,public ,works  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the
 ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act  
of #aifi to impose time limits on the   
completion of certain required actions  
under the ,act1 and for other purposes4 
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,,nepa ,accountability and      
,oversight ,act of #bjbj4  #b4 ,national
 ,environmental ,policy ,act timelines  
,title ,i of the ,national              
,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi is 
amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section 
#aje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcce7 as section   
#ajf2 and  7#b7 by inserting after      
section #ajd 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccd7 the  
following3  #aje4 ,applicable timelines 
7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 
,environmental impact statement ,the    
term environmental impact statement     

means a detailed statement required     
under section #ajb7b77;,c74  7#b7       
,federal agency ,the term ,federal      
agency includes a ,state that has       
assumed responsibility under section    
#cbg of title #bc1 ,united ,states      
,code4  7#c7 ,head of a ,federal agency 
,the term head of a ,federal agency     
includes the governor or head of an     
applicable ,state agency of a ,state    
that has assumed responsibility under   
section #cbg of title #bc1 ,united      
,states ,code4  7#d7 ,,nepa process     
7,a7 ,in general ,the term ,,nepa       
process means the entirety of every     
process1 analysis1 or other measure1    
including an environmental impact       
statement1 required to be carried out by
 a ,federal agency under this title     
before the agency undertakes a proposed 
action4  7,b7 ,period ,for purposes of  
subparagraph 7,a71 the ,,nepa process-- 
7i7 begins on the date on which the head
 of a ,federal agency receives an       
application for a proposed action from a

 project sponsor2 and  7ii7 ends on the 
date on which the ,federal agency       
issues1 with respect to the proposed    
action-- 7,i7 a record of decision1     
including1 if necessary1 a revised      
record of decision2  7,,ii7 a finding of
 no significant impact2 or  7,,iii7 a   
categorical exclusion under this title4 
7#e7 ,project sponsor ,the term project 
sponsor means a ,federal agency or other
 entity1 including a private or         
public-private entity1 that seeks       
approval of a proposed action4  7b7     
,applicable timelines  7#a7 ,,nepa      
process  7,a7 ,in general ,the head of a
 ,federal agency shall complete the     
,,nepa process for a proposed action of 
the ,federal agency1 as described in    
subsection 7a77#d77;,b77ii71 not later  
than #b years after the date described  
in subsection 7a77#d77;,b77i74  7,b7    
,environmental documents ,within the    
period described in subparagraph 7,a71  
not later than #a year after the date   
described in subsection 7a77#d77;,b77i71

 the head of the ,federal agency shall1 
with respect to the proposed action--   
7i7 issue-- 7,i7 a finding that a       
categorical exclusion applies to the    
proposed action2 or  7,,ii7 a finding of
 no significant impact2 or  7ii7 publish
 a notice of intent to prepare an       
environmental impact statement in the   
,federal ,register4  7,c7 ,environmental
 impact statement ,if the head of a     
,federal agency publishes a notice of   
intent described in subparagraph        
7,b77ii71 within the period described in
 subparagraph 7,a7 and not later than #a
 year after the date on which the head  
of the ,federal agency publishes the    
notice of intent1 the head of the       
,federal agency shall complete the      
environmental impact statement and1 if  
necessary1 any supplemental             
environmental impact statement for the  
proposed action4  7#b7 ,authorizations  
and permits  7,a7 ,in general ,not later
 than #ij days after the date described 
in subsection 7a77#d77;,b77ii71 the head

 of a ,federal agency shall issue-- 7i7 
any necessary permit or authorization to
 carry out the proposed action2 or  7ii7
 a denial of the permit or authorization
 necessary to carry out the proposed    
action4  7,b7 ,effect of failure to     
issue authorization or permit ,if a     
permit or authorization described in    
subparagraph 7,a7 is not issued or      
denied within the period described in   
that subparagraph1 the permit or        
authorization shall be considered to be 
approved4  7,c7 ,denial of permit or    
authorization  7i7 ,in general ,if a    
permit or authorization described in    
subparagraph 7,a7 is denied1 the head of
 the ,federal agency shall describe to  
the project sponsor-- 7,i7 the basis of 
the denial2 and  7,,ii7 recommendations 
for the project sponsor with respect to 
how to address the reasons for the      
denial4  7ii7 ,recommended changes ,if  
the project sponsor carries out the     
recommendations of the head of the      
,federal agency under clause 7i77,,ii7  

and notifies the head of the ,federal   
agency that the recommendations have    
been carried out1 the head of the       
,federal agency-- 7,i7 shall decide     
whether to issue the permit or          
authorization described in subparagraph 
7,a7 not later than #ij days after the  
date on which the project sponsor       
submitted the notification2 and  7,,ii7 
shall not carry out the ,,nepa process  
with respect to the proposed action     
again4  4