Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects, 8657-8658 [2017-02029]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 18 (Monday, January 30, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8657-8658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02029]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 18 / Monday, January 30, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 8657]]

                Executive Order 13766 of January 24, 2017

                
Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals 
                for High Priority Infrastructure Projects

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, I hereby direct as follows:

                Section 1. Purpose. Infrastructure investment 
                strengthens our economic platform, makes America more 
                competitive, creates millions of jobs, increases wages 
                for American workers, and reduces the costs of goods 
                and services for American families and consumers. Too 
                often, infrastructure projects in the United States 
                have been routinely and excessively delayed by agency 
                processes and procedures. These delays have increased 
                project costs and blocked the American people from the 
                full benefits of increased infrastructure investments, 
                which are important to allowing Americans to compete 
                and win on the world economic stage. Federal 
                infrastructure decisions should be accomplished with 
                maximum efficiency and effectiveness, while also 
                respecting property rights and protecting public safety 
                and the environment. To that end, it is the policy of 
                the executive branch to streamline and expedite, in a 
                manner consistent with law, environmental reviews and 
                approvals for all infrastructure projects, especially 
                projects that are a high priority for the Nation, such 
                as improving the U.S. electric grid and 
                telecommunications systems and repairing and upgrading 
                critical port facilities, airports, pipelines, bridges, 
                and highways.

                Sec. 2. Identification of High Priority Infrastructure 
                Projects. With respect to infrastructure projects for 
                which Federal reviews and approvals are required, upon 
                request by the Governor of a State, or the head of any 
                executive department or agency (agency), or on his or 
                her own initiative, the Chairman of the White House 
                Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) shall, within 30 
                days after a request is made, decide whether an 
                infrastructure project qualifies as a ``high priority'' 
                infrastructure project. This determination shall be 
                made after consideration of the project's importance to 
                the general welfare, value to the Nation, environmental 
                benefits, and such other factors as the Chairman deems 
                relevant.

                Sec. 3. Deadlines. With respect to any project 
                designated as a high priority under section 2 of this 
                order, the Chairman of the CEQ shall coordinate with 
                the head of the relevant agency to establish, in a 
                manner consistent with law, expedited procedures and 
                deadlines for completion of environmental reviews and 
                approvals for such projects. All agencies shall give 
                highest priority to completing such reviews and 
                approvals by the established deadlines using all 
                necessary and appropriate means. With respect to 
                deadlines established consistent with this section that 
                are not met, the head of the relevant agency shall 
                provide a written explanation to the Chairman 
                explaining the causes for the delay and providing 
                concrete actions taken by the agency to complete such 
                reviews and approvals as expeditiously as possible.

                Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be 
                implemented consistent with applicable law and subject 
                to the availability of appropriations.

                    (b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to 
                impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency or 
the head thereof; or

[[Page 8658]]

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (c) All actions taken pursuant to this order shall 
                be consistent with requirements and authorities to 
                protect intelligence and law enforcement sources and 
                methods. Nothing in this order shall be interpreted to 
                supersede measures established under authority of law 
                to protect the security and integrity of specific 
                activities and associations that are in direct support 
                of intelligence and law enforcement operations.
                    (d) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    January 24, 2017.

[FR Doc. 2017-02029
Filed 1-27-17; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F7-P