§2233 Coordination and scheduling of Federal, State, and local actions

Summary

When a non‑Federal group gives written notice that it plans to build a harbor or inland harbor project, the Secretary must start making a schedule to combine all federal, state, and local environmental reviews, project reviews, and permits before construction begins. The group must send any studies and environmental reports that federal law requires. A State does not have to take part. Within 15 days of getting the notice, the Secretary must publish it in the Federal Register and tell state and local permit agencies about it. Agencies that want to join must say so in writing within 30 days after that publication. Within 90 days of the notice, the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and any participating state or local agencies must make an agreement that sets a decision schedule. The schedule cannot be longer than two and one‑half years from the date of the agreement. The agreement must, where possible, combine hearings, comment times, data collection, environmental reviews, and permitting steps, and it must say what information the non‑Federal group must provide and when. The agreement must also include a date when the Secretary will give a written preliminary opinion on whether the project and permits are likely to be approved. The Secretary may extend the schedule once by the smallest amount needed to let the group fix its application to address objections. Six months before the schedule ends, the Secretary must send Congress a progress report to the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. By the final day of the schedule, the Secretary must tell the non‑Federal group the final decision and whether permits were issued. Not later than one year after November 17, 1986, the Secretary must send Congress a report estimating how long permit review takes and recommending ways to shorten that time, including any suggested changes in law.