§ 15924 — Project To Improve Federal Permit Coordination

(a) The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall establish a Federal Permit Streamlining Project (referred to in this section as the “Project”). (1) Not later than 90 days after August 8, 2005, the Secretary shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for purposes of this section with— (A) the Secretary of Agriculture; (B) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and (C) the Chief of Engineers. (2) The Secretary may request that the Governors of the States in which Project offices are located be signatories to the memorandum of understanding. (1) Not later than 30 days after the date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding under subsection (b), all Federal signatory parties shall, if appropriate, assign to each of the field offices identified in subsection (d) an employee who has expertise in the regulatory issues relating to the office in which the employee is employed, including, as applicable, particular expertise in— (A) the consultations and the preparation of biological opinions under section 1536 of title 16; (B) permits under section 1344 of title 33; (C) regulatory matters under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); (D) planning under the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a et seq.); and (E) the preparation of analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). (2) Each employee assigned under paragraph (1) shall— (A) not later than 90 days after the date of assignment, report to the Bureau of Land Management Field Managers in the office to which the employee is assigned; (B) be responsible for all issues relating to the jurisdiction of the home office or agency of the employee; and (C) participate as part of the team of personnel working on proposed energy projects, planning, and environmental analyses. (d) The following Bureau of Land Management Offices shall serve as the Project offices: (1) Rawlins Field Office, Wyoming. (2) High Plains District Office, Wyoming. (3) Montana/Dakotas State Office, Montana. (4) Farmington Field Office, New Mexico. (5) Carlsbad Field Office, New Mexico. (6) Grand Junction/Glenwood Springs Field Office, Colorado. (7) Vernal Field Office, Utah. (8) Any other State, district, or field office of the Bureau of Land Management determined by the Secretary. (e) Not later than February 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 and each February 1 thereafter, the Secretary shall report to the Chairman and ranking minority Member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, which shall include— (1) the allocation of funds to each Project office for the previous fiscal year; and (2) the accomplishments of each Project office relating to the coordination and processing of oil and gas use authorizations during that fiscal year. (f) The Secretary shall assign to each field office identified in subsection (d) any additional personnel that are necessary to ensure the effective implementation of— (1) the Project; and (2) other programs administered by the field offices, including inspection and enforcement relating to energy development on Federal land, in accordance with the multiple use mandate of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). (g) (h) For the purposes of coordination and processing of oil and gas use authorizations on Federal land under the administration of the Project offices identified in subsection (d), the Secretary may authorize the expenditure or transfer of such funds as are necessary to— (1) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; (2) the Bureau of Indian Affairs; (3) the Forest Service; (4) the Environmental Protection Agency; (5) the Corps of Engineers; and (6) the States in which Project offices are located. (i) Nothing in this section affects— (1) the operation of any Federal or State law; or (2) any delegation of authority made by the head of a Federal agency whose employees are participating in the Project.