§ 2352 — Funding To Process Permits

(1) In this subsection: (A) The term “natural gas company” has the meaning given the term in section 16451 of title 42, except that the term also includes a person engaged in the transportation of natural gas in intrastate commerce. (B) The term “public-utility company” has the meaning given the term in section 16451 of title 42. (C) The term “railroad carrier” has the meaning given the term in section 20102 of title 49. (D) The term “Indian Tribe” means— (i) an Indian Tribe, as such term is defined in section 5304 of title 25; and (ii) any entity formed under the authority of one or more Indian Tribes, as so defined. (A) The Secretary, after public notice, may accept and expend funds contributed by a non-Federal public entity or a public-utility company, Indian Tribe, natural gas company, or railroad carrier to expedite the evaluation of a permit of that entity, company, or carrier related to a project or activity for a public purpose under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army, including an aquatic ecosystem restoration project. (B) An activity carried out by the Secretary to expedite evaluation of a permit described in subparagraph (A) may include the evaluation of an instrument for a mitigation bank if— (i) the non-Federal public entity, public-utility company, Indian Tribe, natural gas company, or railroad carrier applying for the permit described in that subparagraph is the sponsor of the mitigation bank; and (ii) expediting evaluation of the instrument is necessary to expedite evaluation of the permit described in that subparagraph. (3) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that expediting the evaluation of a permit through the use of funds accepted and expended under this section does not adversely affect the timeline for evaluation (in the Corps district in which the project or activity is located) of permits under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army of other entities that have not contributed funds under this section. (1) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the use of funds accepted under subsection (a) will not impact impartial decisionmaking with respect to permits, either substantively or procedurally. (2) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the evaluation of permits carried out using funds accepted under this section shall— (A) be reviewed by— (i) the District Commander, or the Commander’s designee, of the Corps District in which the project or activity is located; or (ii) the Commander of the Corps Division in which the District is located if the evaluation of the permit is initially conducted by the District Commander; and (B) utilize the same procedures for decisions that would otherwise be required for the evaluation of permits for similar projects or activities not carried out using funds authorized under this section. (c) None of the funds accepted under this section shall be used to carry out a review of the evaluation of permits required under subsection (b)(2)(A). (1) The Secretary shall ensure that all final permit decisions carried out using funds authorized under this section are made available to the public in a common format, including on the Internet, and in a manner that distinguishes final permit decisions under this section from other final actions of the Secretary. (2) The Secretary shall— (A) use a standard decision document for evaluating all permits using funds accepted under this section; and (B) make the standard decision document, along with all final permit decisions, available to the public, including on the Internet. (3) The Secretary shall make all active agreements to accept funds under this section available on a single public Internet site. (1) The Secretary shall prepare an annual report on the implementation of this section, which, at a minimum, shall include for each district of the Corps of Engineers that accepts funds under this section— (A) a comprehensive list of any funds accepted under this section during the previous fiscal year; (B) a comprehensive list of the permits reviewed and approved using funds accepted under this section during the previous fiscal year, including a description of the size and type of resources impacted and the mitigation required for each permit; and (C) a description of the training offered in the previous fiscal year for employees that is funded in whole or in part with funds accepted under this section. (2) Not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall— (A) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives the annual report described in paragraph (1); and (B) make each report received under subparagraph (A) available on a single publicly accessible Internet site.