,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #gba ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #aa1 #bjba,mr4 ,lee 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,barrasso1 and ,mr4 ,cruz7 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 ,enforcement ,act4 #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,d7 ,penalties 7i7 ,definitions ,in this subparagraph3 7,i7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget4 7,,ii7 ,federal agency ,the term ,federal agency does not include a ,state4 7,,iii7 ,final ,,nepa compliance date ,the term final ,,nepa compliance date1 with respect to a proposed action1 means the date by which the head of a ,federal agency is required to complete the ,,nepa process under subparagraph 7,a74 7,,iv7 ,head of a ,federal agency ,the term head of a ,federal agency does not include the governor or head of a ,state agency of a ,state4 7,v7 ,initial ,,eis compliance date ,the term initial ,,eis compliance date1 with respect to a proposed action for which a ,federal agency published a notice of intent described in subparagraph 7,b77ii71 means the date by which an environmental impact statement for that proposed action is required to be completed under subparagraph 7,c74 7,,vi7 ,initial ,,nepa compliance date ,the term initial ,,nepa compliance date1 with respect to a proposed action1 means the date by which the head of a ,federal agency is required to issue or publish a document described in subparagraph 7,b7 for that proposed action under that subparagraph4 7,,vii7 ,initial noncompliance determination ,the term initial noncompliance determination means a determination under clause 7ii77,i77bb7 that the head of a ,federal agency has not complied with the requirements of subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c74 7ii7 ,initial noncompliance 7,i7 ,determination 7aa7 ,notification ,as soon as practicable after the date described in subsection 7a77#d77;,b77i7 for a proposed action of a ,federal agency1 the head of the ,federal agency shall notify the ,director that the head of the ,federal agency is beginning the ,,nepa process for that proposed action4 7bb7 ,determinations of compliance 7,,aa7 ,initial determination ,as soon as practicable after the initial ,,nepa compliance date for a proposed action1 the ,director shall determine whether1 as of the initial ,,nepa compliance date1 the head of the ,federal agency has complied with subparagraph 7,b7 for that proposed action4 7,,bb7 ,environmental impact statement ,with respect to a proposed action of a ,federal agency in which the head of the ,federal agency publishes a notice of intent described in subparagraph 7,b77ii71 as soon as practicable after the initial ,,eis compliance date for a proposed action1 the ,director shall determine whether1 as of the initial ,,eis compliance date1 the head of the ,federal agency has complied with subparagraph 7,c7 for that proposed action4 7,,cc7 ,completion of ,,nepa process ,as soon as practicable after the final ,,nepa compliance date for a proposed action1 the ,director shall determine whether1 as of the final ,,nepa compliance date1 the head of the ,federal agency has complied with subparagraph 7,a7 for that proposed action4 7,,ii7 ,identification2 penalty2 notification ,if the ,director makes an initial noncompliance determination for a proposed action-- 7aa7 the ,director shall identify the account for the salaries and expenses of the office of the head of the ,federal agency1 or an equivalent account2 7bb7 beginning on the day after the date on which the ,director makes the initial noncompliance determination1 the amount that the head of the ,federal agency may obligate from the account identified under item 7aa7 for the fiscal year during which the determination is made shall be reduced by #j4e percent from the amount initially made available for the account for that fiscal year2 and 7cc7 the ,director shall notify the head of the ,federal agency of-- 7,,aa7 the initial noncompliance determination2 7,,bb7 the account identified under item 7aa72 and 7,,cc7 the reduction under item 7bb74 7iii7 ,continued noncompliance 7,i7 ,determination ,every #ij days after the date of an initial noncompliance determination1 the ,director shall determine whether the head of the ,federal agency has complied with the applicable requirements of subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c7 for the proposed action1 until the date on which the ,director determines that the head of the ,federal agency has completed the ,,nepa process for the proposed action4 7,,ii7 ,penalty2 notification ,for each determination made by the ,director under subclause 7,i7 that the head of a ,federal agency has not complied with a requirement of subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c7 for a proposed action-- 7aa7 the amount that the head of the ,federal agency may obligate from the account identified under clause 7ii77,,ii77aa7 for the fiscal year during which the most recent determination under subclause 7,i7 is made shall be reduced by #j4e percent from the amount initially made available for the account for that fiscal year2 and 7bb7 the ,director shall notify the head of the ,federal agency of-- 7,,aa7 the determination under subclause 7,i72 and 7,,bb7 the reduction under item 7aa74 7iv7 ,requirements 7,i7 ,amounts not restored ,a reduction in the amount that the head of a ,federal agency may obligate under clause 7ii77,,ii77bb7 or 7iii77,,ii77aa7 during a fiscal year shall not be restored for that fiscal year1 without regard to whether the head of a ,federal agency completes the ,,nepa process for the proposed action with respect to which the ,director made an initial noncompliance determination or a determination under clause 7iii77,i74 7,,ii7 ,required timelines ,the violation of subparagraph 7,b7 or 7,c71 and any action carried out to remediate or otherwise address the violation1 shall not affect any other applicable compliance date under subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c74 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 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