§720d Federal Coordinator

Summary

Creates an independent Office of the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects and puts a Federal Coordinator in charge. The President, with Senate approval, must appoint the Coordinator to serve until one year after the project in section 720a is finished. The Coordinator is paid at the level III Executive Schedule rate (5 U.S.C. 5314). The Coordinator must speed up and coordinate all federal agency work on the project and make sure agencies follow this chapter. Federal reviews and approvals must be done quickly to meet the chapter’s deadlines. Agencies cannot add optional terms or change authorizations if the Coordinator finds those changes would significantly stop or slow construction, operation, or expansion. The Coordinator cannot override the Commission’s regulations or expansion orders or add extra terms beyond what the Commission or agencies require. The Coordinator and the State must make a joint monitoring agreement like the one used for the Trans‑Alaska Pipeline, approved by the President and the Governor. The federal government has primary monitoring where the project crosses federal or private land. The State has primary monitoring where it crosses State land. When the Coordinator is appointed, duties from the prior Office of Federal Inspector transfer to the Coordinator. Until the President appoints the Coordinator or until 18 months after October 13, 2004 (whichever comes first), those duties stay with the Secretary. The Coordinator may hire and fire staff outside normal civil‑service rules, pay them up to the level III rate, use temporary help, set filing fees similar to the Secretary of the Interior, and spend collected fees without more appropriations.