§720d Federal Coordinator

Summary

Creates an independent office called the 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 is finished. The Coordinator is paid at Executive Schedule level III. The Coordinator must speed up and coordinate all federal agency work on the Alaska gas project and make sure agencies follow the rules in this law. Reviews and approvals by federal agencies must be done quickly but still complete what is needed. Agencies may not add optional terms or change permits in ways that the Coordinator finds would seriously delay building, operating, or expanding the project. The Coordinator cannot override the Commission’s regulations or orders or add requirements beyond what the Commission or other agencies impose. The Coordinator must make a joint monitoring agreement with the State, similar to the one used for the Trans‑Alaska Pipeline, with the federal government watching federal and private lands and the State watching State lands. When the President appoints the Coordinator, certain prior inspector functions move to the Coordinator. Until a Coordinator is appointed, or until 18 months after October 13, 2004 (whichever comes first), the Secretary holds the Coordinator’s duties. The Coordinator can hire and fire staff outside normal civil‑service rules, pay them up to Executive Schedule level III, hire temporary help, set fees like the Interior Secretary can, and use those fees to run the office.