Expedited Federal Permitting for California Act
This bill expands a Department of Transportation (DOT) program that allows up to two states to approve environmental reviews for certain transportation projects under state laws and regulations instead of under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
Specifically, the bill makes permanent a pilot program that allows DOT to approve a state to participate in a program to conduct environmental reviews and approve permits for certain transportation projects if DOT (with the concurrence of the Council on Environmental Quality) determines that the state laws and regulations are at least as stringent as the federal NEPA requirements.
The bill also expands project eligibility for the program to include certain federally funded airport and port development projects.