Adding Mining as a Sector of Projects Eligible for Coverage Under Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, 75998-76003 [2020-25235]

Download as PDF 75998 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 229 / Friday, November 27, 2020 / Proposed Rules cannot be submitted using https:// www.regulations.gov, call or email the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions. We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted without change to https:// www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this document, see DHS’s eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020). Documents mentioned in this NPRM as being available in the docket, and all public comments, will be in our online docket at https://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website’s instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a final rule is published. List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165 Harbors, Marine Safety, Navigation (water), Reporting and Record keeping requirements, Security measures, Waterways. For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Coast Guard is proposing to amend 33 CFR part 165 as follows: PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS 1. The authority citation for part 165 continues to read as follows: ■ Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70034; 33 CFR 1.01– 1, 6.04–1, and 160.5; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 01070.1. § 165.752 ■ [Removed] 2. Remove § 165.752. Dated: October 29, 2020. Eric C. Jones, Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District. [FR Doc. 2020–25654 Filed 11–25–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–04–P FEDERAL PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT STEERING COUNCIL 40 CFR Chapter IX jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS [FPISC Case 2020–001; Docket No. 2020– 0018; Sequence No. 1] RIN 3121–AA01 Adding Mining as a Sector of Projects Eligible for Coverage Under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Nov 25, 2020 Jkt 253001 ACTION: Proposed rule. The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) proposes to add mining as a sector with infrastructure projects eligible for coverage under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST–41). Current FAST–41 sectors include renewable and conventional energy production, electricity transmission, surface transportation, aviation, ports and waterways, water resource projects, broadband, pipelines, and manufacturing. The addition of mining as a FAST–41 sector would allow a qualified mining infrastructure project to become a FAST–41 covered project. FAST–41 coverage does not predetermine the outcome of any Federal decision making process, but is intended to improve the timeliness, predictability, and transparency of the Federal environmental review and authorization processes for covered infrastructure projects. DATES: Please send your comments on this proposal to the Permitting Council Office of the Executive Director on or before December 28, 2020. ADDRESSES: You may send comments, identified by FPISC Case 2020–001, or RIN 3121–AA01, by any of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for sending comments. • Mail: Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, Office of the Executive Director, 1800 G St. NW, Suite 2400, Washington, DC 20006, Attention: RIN 3121–AA01. Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite FPISC Case 2020–001 in all correspondence related to this case. All comments received will be posted without change to https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal and/or business confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov approximately two-to-three business days after submission to verify posting (except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by mail). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John G. Cossa, General Counsel, Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, 1800 G St. NW, Suite 2400, Washington, DC 20006, john.cossa@ fpisc.gov, or by telephone at 202–255– 6936. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to contact this individual during normal SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00074 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 business hours or to leave a message at other times. FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You will receive a reply to a message during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST–41), 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq., established the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council), which comprises the Permitting Council Executive Director; 13 Federal agency council members (including the designees of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Army, Commerce, Interior, Energy, Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, and Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chairmen of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation); and additional council members, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 42 U.S.C. 4170m–1(a) & (b). The Permitting Council and the procedural provisions of FAST–41 can improve the timeliness, predictability, and transparency of the Federal environmental review and authorization processes for ‘‘covered’’ infrastructure projects. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2, 4370m–4. The FAST–41 statute provides that infrastructure projects in the following 10 sectors are eligible for FAST–41 coverage: (1) Renewable energy production; (2) conventional energy production; (3) electricity transmission; (4) surface transportation; (5) aviation; (6) ports and waterways; (7) water resource projects; (8) broadband; (9) pipelines; and (10) manufacturing. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A). FAST–41 authorizes the Permitting Council to designate additional sectors by majority vote of the Permitting Council members. To qualify for FAST–41 coverage, an infrastructure project in a FAST–41 sector must be located in the United States and require environmental review and authorization by a Federal agency. Id. A project also must: (i) Be subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; (ii) be likely to require a total investment of $200 million or more; and (iii) not qualify for abbreviated authorization or environmental review processes under any applicable law. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)(i). Alternatively, a project in a FAST–41 sector could qualify for FAST–41 coverage if: (i) It is subject to E:\FR\FM\27NOP1.SGM 27NOP1 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 229 / Friday, November 27, 2020 / Proposed Rules NEPA; and (ii) in the opinion of the Permitting Council, the size and complexity of the project make it likely to benefit from the enhanced oversight and coordination provided by FAST–41, including projects likely to require environmental review and authorization from multiple agencies or projects for which the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is required. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)(ii). Projects that are subject to the Department of Transportation’s procedures for Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decisionmaking pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 139, and projects subject to the Department of the Army’s Project Acceleration Procedures pursuant to 33 U.S.C. 2348, cannot become FAST–41 covered projects. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(B); see also 49 U.S.C. 24201 (Requiring Department of Transportation to apply its Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decisionmaking procedures to certain railroad projects, thereby precluding those projects from FAST–41 coverage). The Permitting Council applies the FAST–41 covered project eligibility requirements consistent with OMB M– 17–14, Guidance to Federal Agencies Regarding the Environmental Review and Authorization Process for Infrastructure Projects (FAST–41 Guidance), issued jointly by CEQ and OMB on January 17, 2017 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m–1(c)(1)(D).1 The Permitting Council proposes to add mining to the list of FAST–41 sectors identified in 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A). This addition would enable sponsors of qualified mining projects to seek the same FAST–41 coverage currently available to qualified projects in the statutorily identified FAST–41 sectors. After considering the comments received in response to this proposed rule, the Permitting Council will vote on the proposal to include mining as a FAST–41 sector. If a majority of the councilmembers vote in favor of including mining, the Permitting Council will promulgate a final rule at 40 CFR part 1900 that adds mining as a FAST–41 sector. The Permitting Council seeks public comment on this proposal and will address all substantive comments that it receives in response to this proposal in the Federal Register notice for any final rule. Designating mining as a FAST–41 sector is not a determination that any particular mining project will qualify as a FAST–41 covered project and does not 1 Available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/ whitehouse.gov/files/omb/memoranda/2017/m-1714.pdf. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Nov 25, 2020 Jkt 253001 predetermine the outcome of the Federal decision making process with respect to any covered project. FAST–41 is a voluntary program governed by the eligibility criteria in 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) and the procedural requirements of 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2 and 4370m–4. To become a FAST–41 covered project, a mining project sponsor, like project sponsors in the other FAST–41 sectors, must first demonstrate that its project meets the criteria for coverage pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) by submitting a notice of the initiation of a proposed covered project (also known as a FAST– 41 Initiation Notice or ‘‘FIN’’) to the Permitting Council Executive Director and the appropriate facilitating or lead agency. 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2(a)(1). Within 14 days of receiving the FIN, the Permitting Council Executive Director must create an entry for the project on the Permitting Dashboard,2 which means that the project is a FAST–41 covered project, unless the Executive Director or the facilitating or lead agency determines that the project does not meet the statutory covered project criteria. 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2(b)(2)(A)(ii). Substantively, FAST–41 provides for timely Federal agency review, enhanced interagency coordination, predictability, and accountability in the Federal decision making process for covered projects, and certain legal protections. Participation in the FAST–41 program can provide covered project sponsors with increased certainty of timely Federal action in accordance with publicly available project-specific permitting timetables. 42 U.S.C. 4370m– 2; see Permitting Dashboard at https:// www.permits.performance.gov/. FAST– 41 provides for early coordination of agencies’ schedules and synchronization of environmental reviews and related authorizations without altering the substance or scope of those Federal agency efforts. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(4) (Coordination of required reviews). It provides mechanisms for resolving interagency disputes and disputes involving the project sponsor. 42 U.S.C. 4370m– 2(c)(2)(C) (Dispute resolution). FAST–41 further ensures agency accountability and transparency by providing clear processes and notice requirements for altering project permitting milestones and timetables. 42 U.S.C. 4370m– 2(c)(2)(D) (Modification after approval). The statute also provides certain legal protections, such as a two-year limitations period for claims related to agency authorizations for covered projects, and specific criteria for 2 Available at https:// www.permits.performance.gov/. PO 00000 Frm 00075 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 75999 granting injunctive relief. 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6 (Litigation, judicial review, and savings provision). FAST–41 does not mandate or predetermine any substantive result in the permitting process. The provisions of FAST–41 do not supersede or alter any internal procedure or decision making authority of any Federal agency or official. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(d)(2); id. 4370m–6(d)(i) (FAST–41 does not supersede, amend, or modify any Federal statute or affect the responsibility of any Federal agency officer to comply with or enforce any statute); id. 4370m–6(e)(i) (‘‘Nothing in this section preempts, limits, or interferes with . . . any practice of seeking, considering, or responding to public comment’’); id. 4370m–6(e)(ii) (‘‘Nothing in [FAST–41] preempts, limits, or interferes with . . . any power, jurisdiction, responsibility, or authority that a Federal, State, or local governmental agency, metropolitan planning organization, Indian tribe, or project sponsor has with respect to carrying out a project or any other provisions of law applicable to any project, plan, or program.’’); see also id. 4370m–11 (NEPA is not amended by FAST–41). Accordingly, designating mining as a FAST–41 sector will not grant any permit, authorization, or approval for a covered project. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(d)(2) (‘‘Nothing in [FAST–41] . . . creates a presumption that a covered project will be approved or favorably reviewed by any agency’’). The Permitting Council has twice voted on proposals to include mining as a FAST–41 sector. On May 14, 2019, the Permitting Council voted in favor of a proposal to add as a FAST–41 sector mining projects that involve construction of infrastructure for extraction of locatable minerals, leasable minerals, and saleable minerals located on Federal lands. On January 15, 2020, the Permitting Council voted in favor of a refined proposal to add as a FAST–41 sector only ‘‘non-energy mining’’ because, in the Permitting Council’s view, it was unnecessary to extend duplicative FAST–41 coverage to mining projects that were eligible for coverage under the statutory FAST–41 sectors, such as the conventional energy sector. The January 2020 vote also expanded the scope of the proposed sector to cover non-energy mining on non-Federal as well as Federal lands, and to include mining for critical minerals. The Permitting Council has determined that it would be appropriate to solicit and consider public comments on this topic before adding mining as a FAST–41 sector. E:\FR\FM\27NOP1.SGM 27NOP1 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS 76000 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 229 / Friday, November 27, 2020 / Proposed Rules Specifically, the Permitting Council proposes to designate all mining as a FAST–41 sector. This proposed designation includes mining on and off federally managed lands, mining of federally managed and non-Federally managed minerals, and mining of any mineral, ore, or raw material extracted from the ground, regardless of whether such mineral, ore, or raw material is used for energy production, manufacturing, or any other purpose. Oil and gas exploration and production are not included in the proposed FAST– 41 mining sector. The FAST–41 statute does not provide or imply that a project must fall within only one FAST–41 sector. Indeed, a number of projects currently covered under FAST–41 are eligible for coverage under a number of FAST–41 sectors. For example, a project involving a natural gas pipeline and a coastal liquefied natural gas export facility could be covered under the statutory ‘‘conventional energy production,’’ ‘‘pipelines,’’ or ‘‘ports and waterways’’ sectors. A natural gas pipeline project could be covered under either the ‘‘conventional energy production’’ or ‘‘pipelines’’ sectors. Likewise, a uranium mining project could be covered under either the ‘‘conventional energy production’’ or the proposed ‘‘mining’’ sector described herein. As with the other FAST–41 sectors, the Permitting Council will decide at the time of coverage which sector is most appropriate for the specific project proposed. See FAST–41 Guidance at 19–21. The purpose of this proposed rule, like the Permitting Council’s previous vote on the proposal to add ‘‘non-energy mining,’’ is to ensure that any qualified mining sector projects that are not part of a statutory FAST–41 sector have the option to become FAST–41 covered projects. Accordingly, the Permitting Council proposes to add ‘‘mining’’ as a FAST–41 sector. The Permitting Council also proposes to define ‘‘mining’’ for the purpose of 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A) as the process of extracting ore, minerals, or raw materials from the ground. As a result, projects (i) ‘‘that involve the construction of infrastructure,’’ (ii) to extract ore, minerals, or raw materials from the ground, and (iii) that meet the other ‘‘covered project’’ criteria of 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) will be eligible for FAST–41 coverage. The Permitting Council continues to believe that, like the other FAST–41 sectors, mining, including non-energy mining, is an important infrastructure sector. Mining projects also can involve the construction of significant infrastructure, involve substantial VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Nov 25, 2020 Jkt 253001 investment, and, in certain circumstances, necessitate extensive Federal review and authorization. Accordingly, like qualified projects from the statutory FAST–41 sectors, mining projects that satisfy the other requirements of 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) could benefit from the enhanced interagency coordination and permitting timeline predictability provided by FAST–41 coverage. Extending FAST–41 coverage to qualified mining projects is consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 13807, Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects, 82 FR 40463 (Aug. 14, 2017) and E.O. 13817, A Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals, 82 FR 60,835 (Dec. 20, 2017). I. Economic Analysis Adding mining as a sector with infrastructure projects eligible for coverage under FAST–41could result in improved timeliness, predictability, and transparency associated with the projects that ultimately become FAST– 41 covered projects, and for the Federal agencies participating in the FAST–41 process for those covered projects. See Permitting Council, FAST–41 Annual Report to Congress for FY 2019, and related documents, available at https:// www.permits.performance.gov/fpisccontent/fast-41-annual-report-congressfy-2019. However, quantifying any potential economic benefits that might result from adding mining as a FAST– 41 sector is speculative. Simply providing the option of FAST–41 coverage to qualified mining projects does not indicate how many, if any, mining project FINs will be submitted to the Permitting Council for coverage or how many projects ultimately will be covered. Nor does it guarantee that any economic benefits would result from such coverage, particularly given that the permitting and environmental review requirements and permitting timetables for each covered project are unique. Although the Permitting Council cannot predict how many mining projects may become covered projects, the number will be small. The eligibility criterion for FAST–41 coverage is selective; only the largest projects that are the most prepared for Federal review may become covered projects. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) (definition of ‘‘covered project’’ including $200 million project value threshold or alternative permitting complexity requirement); 4370m– 2(c)(1)(A) & (B)(ii), 4370m–2(c)(2)(A) (sponsors must provide agencies with information sufficient to create a PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 comprehensive and complete project permitting timetable within 60 days of initial project coverage); FAST–41 Guidance, Sec. 3 (project description must be sufficient at the outset to facilitate appropriate level of analysis under NEPA and interagency coordination on all required permits/ authorizations). Since FAST–41’s enactment in 2015, a total of 52 projects have been covered. Of these projects, only 20 were covered as the result of successfully submitted FINs that met the FAST–41 coverage criteria. The remaining 34 projects were statutorily covered as pending projects immediately after the enactment of FAST–41 pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 4370m– 1(c)(1)(A)(i) and 4370m–2(b)(2)(A)(i). The 20 successfully submitted FINs include one conventional energy production project, one electricity transmission project, two pipeline projects, one ports and waterways project, 13 renewable energy production projects, and two water resource projects. Adding mining as a FAST–41 sector likely will result in only a small number of new covered projects through 2022. Since the enactment of FAST–41 in 2015, the Permitting Council has received fewer than five FINs for projects that involve mining that may potentially have been eligible for coverage under the statutory FAST–41 sectors (e.g., conventional energy). But all of these FINs either were rejected for failing to meet other FAST–41 eligibility criteria or were withdrawn by the project sponsor for other reasons. The Permitting Council anticipates receiving very few—likely 10 or fewer— additional project FINs through 2022 as a result of adding mining as a FAST–41 sector, particularly given that the FAST–41 program is currently scheduled to sunset in 2022 (42 U.S.C. 4370m–12). Moreover, based on historical experience, only a portion of the newly submitted FINs likely will become covered projects. It is therefore unlikely that adding mining to the 10 statutory FAST–41 sectors will result in the coverage of a substantial number of new projects. Designating mining as a FAST–41 sector could result in reduced costs for any mining project sponsor that obtains FAST–41 coverage for its project and for the Federal agencies with review and permitting responsibilities for the covered project by virtue of potentially improved timeliness, predictability, and transparency, associated increased Federal agency coordination, and reduced duplication of Federal and project sponsor effort. However, these benefits are difficult to quantify, E:\FR\FM\27NOP1.SGM 27NOP1 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 229 / Friday, November 27, 2020 / Proposed Rules particularly given that the Federal permitting and environmental review requirements and the permitting timetable for each project are unique and vary widely from project to project. Because the Permitting Council does not know in advance how many projects will be covered as FAST–41 mining projects, what the permitting or environmental review requirements might be for any potential future covered mining project, or what opportunities might exist to coordinate any Federal agency reviews that might be necessary for any such covered mining project, it is impossible to predict with any specificity what, if any, economic benefit might broadly accrue as a result of designating mining as a FAST–41 sector. The proposal to add mining as a FAST–41 sector will not directly increase or decrease the costs to agencies of complying with the substantive provisions of FAST–41, although there will be costs to the Permitting Council associated with any additional project that might become a covered project. FAST–41 does not impose any regulatory requirements on covered project sponsors; FAST–41 implementation obligations fall primarily on the government. However, because FAST–41 is a voluntary program, sponsors of mining projects potentially eligible for FAST–41 coverage would incur some costs associated with seeking FAST–41 coverage. These costs associated with a request to be a covered project likely will be small. Seeking FAST–41 coverage involves formulating and submitting a project FIN, which is expected to take only a few hours. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2(a)(i)(C). Because the Permitting Council anticipates receiving few additional project FINs as a result of adding mining as a FAST–41 sector, and the burden associated with preparing a FIN is minimal, the additional economic cost associated with adding mining as a FAST–41 sector, if any, would be negligible, and likely would be counterbalanced by the benefits of FAST–41 coverage. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS II. Procedural Matters A. Regulatory Planning and Review (E.O. 12866) and Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review (E.O. 13563) This action is a significant regulatory action that was submitted to OMB for review. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Nov 25, 2020 Jkt 253001 B. Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs (E.O. 13771) This proposed rule is expected to be an E.O. 13771 deregulatory action. A discussion of the potential economic benefits of this proposed rule can be found in the rule’s economic analysis. C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as Amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. Congress enacted the RFA to ensure that government regulations do not unnecessarily or disproportionately burden small entities. Small entities include small businesses, small governmental jurisdictions, and small not-for-profit enterprises. The RFA generally requires that Federal agencies prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for regulatory proposals that are subject to the notice and comment rulemaking requirements of 5 U.S.C. 503 if the proposal would have a significant economic impact, either detrimental or beneficial, on a substantial number of small entities. See 5 U.S.C. 601–612. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), the Permitting Council certifies that the proposal to provide the option of FAST– 41 coverage for qualified mining projects that are not already eligible for FAST–41 coverage under any of the statutory FAST–41 sectors will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. As explained in the Economic Analysis section of this proposal, the Permitting Council anticipates that the addition of mining as a FAST–41 sector will result in the submission of 10 or fewer mining project FINs, at least some of which, based on the Permitting Council’s past experience with project FINs that involve mining, likely will not become FAST–41 covered projects. Though the Permitting Council does not conduct an analysis of the business structures of FAST–41 project sponsors to determine whether they are small entities, it is possible that at least some of the 10 or fewer project sponsors that submit FINs for mining projects could be small entities. The Permitting Council reviewed the Small Business Administration size standards for small businesses across the mining industry, and, depending on the nature of the minerals mined, the threshold for small North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Sector-21 mining entities ranges from below 250 employees (for anthracite, or uraniumradium-vanadium ore mining) to below 1,500 employees (for underground bituminous coal mining and gold mining). The small entity threshold for PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 76001 other forms of hardrock and ‘‘other’’ mining projects falls within this range. However, because 10 or fewer entities likely will be affected, the Permitting Council does not anticipate that adding mining as a FAST–41 sector will affect a substantial number of small entities. Nor will adding mining as a FAST–41 sector significantly or disproportionately impose costs on any small entity that is affected by the rule. The requirements for submitting a project FIN are simple and not burdensome. The FAST–41 statute only requires the project sponsor to formulate and send to the Permitting Council and the lead or facilitating agency a project FIN that contains: (1) A statement of the purpose and objectives of the project; (2) a description of the general project location; (3) any available geospatial information about project and environmental, cultural, and historic resource locations; (4) a statement regarding the technical and financial ability of the project sponsor to construct the proposed project; (5) a statement of any Federal financing, environmental reviews, and authorizations anticipated to be required to complete the proposed project; and (6) an assessment that the proposed project meets the definition of a covered project pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A) with supporting rationale. 42 U.S.C. 4370m–2(a)(1)(A) & (C). Any project sponsor credibly seeking Federal authorization and environmental review for a project that requires $200 million or more in investment will have the information required to submit a successful project FIN readily available, and preparing and submitting a project FIN should require only a few hours of effort. FAST–41 contains no pre-FIN requirements (although project sponsors are free to consult the Permitting Council with any questions about the FAST–41 program and FIN preparation or submission), and there are no regulations implementing FAST–41 that impose any additional requirements on the project sponsor. The lead or facilitating agency (and in some instances, the Executive Director) will review the FIN in accordance with sections 4.4–4.12 of the FAST–41 Guidance to determine whether the project is a FAST–41 covered project. See Fast-41 Guidance at 30–34. If the project is a covered project, FAST–41 imposes no requirements or obligations on the project sponsor that are additional to those imposed by the substantive Federal authorization or environmental review statutes that otherwise apply to the project. As explained in the Economic Analysis E:\FR\FM\27NOP1.SGM 27NOP1 76002 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 229 / Friday, November 27, 2020 / Proposed Rules section of this proposal, any potential economic benefits that might accrue to a covered project sponsor by virtue of the project’s FAST–41 covered status are speculative and project-specific. Accordingly, adding mining as FAST– 41 sector will not significantly affect a substantial number of small entities, and the RFA does not apply. C. Congressional Review Act The proposed rule is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as defined under 5 U.S.C. 804(2) because it will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, Federal, state, or local government agencies, or geographic regions. The proposal will not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more. D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), 2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq. The proposed rule does not impose an unfunded mandate on state, local, or tribal governments, or on the private sector of more than $100 million per year. The rule does not have a significant or unique effect on state, local, or tribal governments or the private sector. Therefore, a statement containing the information required by the UMRA is not required. The proposed rule also is not subject to the requirements of UMRA section 203 because it contains no regulatory requirements that might significantly or uniquely affect small governments. The proposed rule contains no requirements that apply to small governments, nor does it impose obligations upon them. E. Federalism (E.O. 13132) This action does not have federalism implications under E.O. 13132. The proposed rule will not have a substantial direct effect on the states, on the relationship between the Federal government and the states, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the levels of government. The proposal affects only the eligibility of mining project proponents to participate in the voluntary FAST–41 program; it will not affect the obligations or rights of states or local governments or state or local governmental entities. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS F. Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988) This proposal complies with section 3(a) of E.O. 12988, which requires agencies to review all rules to eliminate errors and ambiguity and to write all regulations to minimize litigation. This rule also meets the criteria of section 3(b)(2), which requires agencies to write VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Nov 25, 2020 Jkt 253001 all regulations in clear language with clear legal standards. III. Paperwork Reduction Act The proposed rule does not involve an agency request for information, nor does it require an information response subject to Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). The proposal would not alter any of the other FAST–41 eligibility criteria or implementation of FAST–41, and does not change the information collected from project sponsors seeking FAST–41 coverage. The proposal could result in a small increase in the number of project sponsors submitting FINs to the Permitting Council. IV. National Environmental Policy Act NEPA requires agencies to consider the reasonably foreseeable environmental consequences of major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The proposed rule does not make any project-level decisions and does not authorize any activity or commit resources to a project that may affect the environment. Furthermore, under FAST–41 all eligible covered projects are subject to NEPA review (42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)). FAST–41 focuses on facilitating interagency coordination and agency accountability for meeting self-imposed environmental review and permitting timetables and providing certain legal protections for covered projects. The statute expressly does not supersede NEPA or affect any internal procedure or decision-making authority of any agency. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(d)(2); 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(d)(i) (FAST–41 does not supersede, amend, or modify any Federal statute or affect the responsibility of any Federal agency officer to comply with or enforce any statute); 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(e)(i) (‘‘Nothing in this section preempts, limits, or interferes with . . . any practice of seeking, considering, or responding to public comment’’); 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(e)(2) (‘‘Nothing in [FAST–41] preempts, limits, or interferes with . . . any power, jurisdiction, responsibility, or authority that a Federal, State, or local governmental agency, metropolitan planning organization, Indian tribe, or project sponsor has with respect to carrying out a project or any other provisions of law applicable to any project, plan, or program.’’); 42 U.S.C. 4370m–11 (providing that FAST–41 does not amend NEPA). Because FAST– 41 coverage does not alter or affect the discretion of any agency to approve or deny any permit or authorization for PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 any project, extending potential FAST– 41 eligibility to otherwise qualified mining projects does not make any mining project more or less likely to be permitted, authorized, or constructed, or any environmental effect that may be associated with such a project to occur. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m–6(d)(2) (‘‘Nothing in [FAST–41] . . . creates a presumption that a covered project will be approved or favorably reviewed by any agency’’). V. Effects on the Energy Supply (E.O. 13211) This proposed rule is not a significant energy action for the purposes of E.O. 13211 because it will not have any discernible effect on the energy supply. As noted above, qualified energy-related mining projects such as coal and uranium are eligible for coverage under FAST–41’s ‘‘conventional energy production’’ sector. The only additive effect of the proposal would be to make mining projects that are unrelated to energy production (and not covered under other statutory FAST–41 sectors) eligible for coverage under FAST–41. Adding mining as a FAST–41 sector will not extend FAST–41 coverage to any specific project—energy related or otherwise—nor will it permit or authorize any mining project. Qualified applicants must first seek and obtain FAST–41 coverage. Participation in the FAST–41 program does not alter any agency’s existing discretion to approve or deny project permits or authorizations, and does not make ultimate project authorization more or less likely. Accordingly, the proposal to add mining as a FAST–41 sector will not affect the supply, distribution, or use of energy, and is not a ‘‘significant energy action’’ for the purpose of E.O. 13211. List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 1900 Critical infrastructure, Infrastructure, Mines, Mineral resources, Permitting, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Underground mining. Nicholas Falvo, Attorney Advisor, Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. For the reasons stated in the preamble, under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq., FPISC proposes to add chapter IX to title 40 of the Code of Federal regulations as set forth below: CHAPTER IX—FEDERAL PERMITTING IMRPOVEMENT STEERING COUNCIL ■ 1. Add chapter IX to read as follows: E:\FR\FM\27NOP1.SGM 27NOP1 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 229 / Friday, November 27, 2020 / Proposed Rules Sec. 1900.1 1900.2 Definitions. FAST–41 Sectors. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq. 1900.1 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated: FAST–41 means Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq. Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council or Permitting Council means the Federal agency established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m-1(a). Mining means the process of extracting ore, minerals, or raw materials from the ground. Mining does not include the process of extracting oil or natural gas from the ground. 1900.2 FAST–41 Sectors. Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council has added the following sectors to the statutorily defined list of FAST–41 sectors: (a) Mining. [FR Doc. 2020–25235 Filed 11–25–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6820–PL–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 45 CFR Subtitle A Request for Information (RFI) on Redundant, Overlapping, or Inconsistent Regulations Immediate Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Request for information. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:37 Nov 25, 2020 Jkt 253001 The Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to assist the Department in identifying redundant, overlapping, or inconsistent regulations. DATES: To be considered, responses and comments must be received electronically, at the email address provided below, no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern on December 21, 2020, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis during this period. ADDRESSES: Responses must be submitted electronically, and should be addressed to DuplicativeRegulations@ hhs.gov. SUMMARY: PART 1900—FEDERAL PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT The Chief of Staff for the Department has issued a policy statement entitled ‘‘Avoiding Duplicative Regulation.’’ In the policy statement, the Chief of Staff noted that redundant, overlapping, or inconsistent regulations undermine agency and regulatory goals by injecting uncertainty, creating potentially conflicting regulatory regimes, and increasing transaction costs with no discernible benefit to the public. The policy statement also placed new requirements on HHS agencies to avoid duplicative regulation. This Request for Information seeks input from the public on how HHS may improve its regulations, to include regulations issued by any HHS office or agency. HHS plans to use comments from the public to improve existing regulations, and eliminate unnecessary or duplicative regulations through future exercise of rulemaking authority. Specifically, responders may address one or more of the topics below: 1. Any HHS regulations that are redundant with other HHS regulations, and how HHS could best eliminate such redundancies. 2. Any HHS regulations that are inconsistent with other HHS SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 9990 76003 regulations, and how HHS could best resolve any inconsistencies. 3. Any HHS regulations that overlap with federal regulation issued by another HHS office or agency in a manner that creates confusion or uncertainty, and how HHS could best address potential problems caused by such overlapping HHS regulations. 4. Challenges faced by you, your company or others when trying to comply with redundant, overlapping, or inconsistent HHS regulations and the impact or result of facing such challenges. Collection of Information Requirements: This document does not impose information collection requirements, that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure requirements. However, this document does contain a general solicitation of comments in the form of a request for information. In accordance with implementing regulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), specifically 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4), this general solicitation is exempt from the PRA. Facts or opinions submitted in response to general solicitations of comments from the public, published in the Federal Register or other publications, regardless of the form or format thereof, provided that no person is required to supply specific information pertaining to the commenter other than that necessary for self-identification, as a condition of the agency’s full consideration, are not generally considered information collections and therefore not subject to the PRA. Brian Harrison, Chief of Staff, Department of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. 2020–26022 Filed 11–24–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150–03–P E:\FR\FM\27NOP1.SGM 27NOP1

Agencies

  • FEDERAL PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT STEERING COUNCIL
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 229 (Friday, November 27, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 75998-76003]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25235]


=======================================================================
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FEDERAL PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT STEERING COUNCIL

40 CFR Chapter IX

[FPISC Case 2020-001; Docket No. 2020-0018; Sequence No. 1]
RIN 3121-AA01


Adding Mining as a Sector of Projects Eligible for Coverage Under 
Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act

AGENCY: Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council 
(Permitting Council) proposes to add mining as a sector with 
infrastructure projects eligible for coverage under Title 41 of the 
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41). Current FAST-41 
sectors include renewable and conventional energy production, 
electricity transmission, surface transportation, aviation, ports and 
waterways, water resource projects, broadband, pipelines, and 
manufacturing. The addition of mining as a FAST-41 sector would allow a 
qualified mining infrastructure project to become a FAST-41 covered 
project. FAST-41 coverage does not predetermine the outcome of any 
Federal decision making process, but is intended to improve the 
timeliness, predictability, and transparency of the Federal 
environmental review and authorization processes for covered 
infrastructure projects.

DATES: Please send your comments on this proposal to the Permitting 
Council Office of the Executive Director on or before December 28, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, identified by FPISC Case 2020-001, or 
RIN 3121-AA01, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for sending comments.
     Mail: Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, 
Office of the Executive Director, 1800 G St. NW, Suite 2400, 
Washington, DC 20006, Attention: RIN 3121-AA01.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite FPISC Case 2020-
001 in all correspondence related to this case. All comments received 
will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including 
any personal and/or business confidential information provided. To 
confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov 
approximately two-to-three business days after submission to verify 
posting (except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by 
mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John G. Cossa, General Counsel, 
Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, 1800 G St. NW, Suite 
2400, Washington, DC 20006, [email protected], or by telephone at 
202-255-6936. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact this individual during normal business hours or to leave a 
message at other times. FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a 
week. You will receive a reply to a message during normal business 
hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation Act (FAST-41), 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq., established the 
Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council), 
which comprises the Permitting Council Executive Director; 13 Federal 
agency council members (including the designees of the Secretaries of 
Agriculture, Army, Commerce, Interior, Energy, Transportation, Defense, 
Homeland Security, and Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chairmen of the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation); and additional council 
members, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and 
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 42 U.S.C. 
4170m-1(a) & (b). The Permitting Council and the procedural provisions 
of FAST-41 can improve the timeliness, predictability, and transparency 
of the Federal environmental review and authorization processes for 
``covered'' infrastructure projects. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2, 4370m-4. 
The FAST-41 statute provides that infrastructure projects in the 
following 10 sectors are eligible for FAST-41 coverage: (1) Renewable 
energy production; (2) conventional energy production; (3) electricity 
transmission; (4) surface transportation; (5) aviation; (6) ports and 
waterways; (7) water resource projects; (8) broadband; (9) pipelines; 
and (10) manufacturing. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A). FAST-41 authorizes the 
Permitting Council to designate additional sectors by majority vote of 
the Permitting Council members.
    To qualify for FAST-41 coverage, an infrastructure project in a 
FAST-41 sector must be located in the United States and require 
environmental review and authorization by a Federal agency. Id. A 
project also must: (i) Be subject to review under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; (ii) be likely 
to require a total investment of $200 million or more; and (iii) not 
qualify for abbreviated authorization or environmental review processes 
under any applicable law. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)(i). Alternatively, a 
project in a FAST-41 sector could qualify for FAST-41 coverage if: (i) 
It is subject to

[[Page 75999]]

NEPA; and (ii) in the opinion of the Permitting Council, the size and 
complexity of the project make it likely to benefit from the enhanced 
oversight and coordination provided by FAST-41, including projects 
likely to require environmental review and authorization from multiple 
agencies or projects for which the preparation of an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) is required. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)(ii). Projects 
that are subject to the Department of Transportation's procedures for 
Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decisionmaking pursuant to 
23 U.S.C. 139, and projects subject to the Department of the Army's 
Project Acceleration Procedures pursuant to 33 U.S.C. 2348, cannot 
become FAST-41 covered projects. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(B); see also 49 
U.S.C. 24201 (Requiring Department of Transportation to apply its 
Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decisionmaking procedures 
to certain railroad projects, thereby precluding those projects from 
FAST-41 coverage). The Permitting Council applies the FAST-41 covered 
project eligibility requirements consistent with OMB M-17-14, Guidance 
to Federal Agencies Regarding the Environmental Review and 
Authorization Process for Infrastructure Projects (FAST-41 Guidance), 
issued jointly by CEQ and OMB on January 17, 2017 pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 
4370m-1(c)(1)(D).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/memoranda/2017/m-17-14.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Permitting Council proposes to add mining to the list of FAST-
41 sectors identified in 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A). This addition would 
enable sponsors of qualified mining projects to seek the same FAST-41 
coverage currently available to qualified projects in the statutorily 
identified FAST-41 sectors. After considering the comments received in 
response to this proposed rule, the Permitting Council will vote on the 
proposal to include mining as a FAST-41 sector. If a majority of the 
councilmembers vote in favor of including mining, the Permitting 
Council will promulgate a final rule at 40 CFR part 1900 that adds 
mining as a FAST-41 sector. The Permitting Council seeks public comment 
on this proposal and will address all substantive comments that it 
receives in response to this proposal in the Federal Register notice 
for any final rule.
    Designating mining as a FAST-41 sector is not a determination that 
any particular mining project will qualify as a FAST-41 covered project 
and does not predetermine the outcome of the Federal decision making 
process with respect to any covered project. FAST-41 is a voluntary 
program governed by the eligibility criteria in 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) and 
the procedural requirements of 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2 and 4370m-4. To become 
a FAST-41 covered project, a mining project sponsor, like project 
sponsors in the other FAST-41 sectors, must first demonstrate that its 
project meets the criteria for coverage pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) 
by submitting a notice of the initiation of a proposed covered project 
(also known as a FAST-41 Initiation Notice or ``FIN'') to the 
Permitting Council Executive Director and the appropriate facilitating 
or lead agency. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2(a)(1). Within 14 days of receiving 
the FIN, the Permitting Council Executive Director must create an entry 
for the project on the Permitting Dashboard,\2\ which means that the 
project is a FAST-41 covered project, unless the Executive Director or 
the facilitating or lead agency determines that the project does not 
meet the statutory covered project criteria. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-
2(b)(2)(A)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Available at https://www.permits.performance.gov/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Substantively, FAST-41 provides for timely Federal agency review, 
enhanced interagency coordination, predictability, and accountability 
in the Federal decision making process for covered projects, and 
certain legal protections. Participation in the FAST-41 program can 
provide covered project sponsors with increased certainty of timely 
Federal action in accordance with publicly available project-specific 
permitting timetables. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2; see Permitting Dashboard at 
https://www.permits.performance.gov/. FAST-41 provides for early 
coordination of agencies' schedules and synchronization of 
environmental reviews and related authorizations without altering the 
substance or scope of those Federal agency efforts. 42 U.S.C. 4370m(4) 
(Coordination of required reviews). It provides mechanisms for 
resolving interagency disputes and disputes involving the project 
sponsor. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2(c)(2)(C) (Dispute resolution). FAST-41 
further ensures agency accountability and transparency by providing 
clear processes and notice requirements for altering project permitting 
milestones and timetables. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2(c)(2)(D) (Modification 
after approval). The statute also provides certain legal protections, 
such as a two-year limitations period for claims related to agency 
authorizations for covered projects, and specific criteria for granting 
injunctive relief. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6 (Litigation, judicial review, and 
savings provision).
    FAST-41 does not mandate or predetermine any substantive result in 
the permitting process. The provisions of FAST-41 do not supersede or 
alter any internal procedure or decision making authority of any 
Federal agency or official. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(d)(2); id. 4370m-
6(d)(i) (FAST-41 does not supersede, amend, or modify any Federal 
statute or affect the responsibility of any Federal agency officer to 
comply with or enforce any statute); id. 4370m-6(e)(i) (``Nothing in 
this section preempts, limits, or interferes with . . . any practice of 
seeking, considering, or responding to public comment''); id. 4370m-
6(e)(ii) (``Nothing in [FAST-41] preempts, limits, or interferes with . 
. . any power, jurisdiction, responsibility, or authority that a 
Federal, State, or local governmental agency, metropolitan planning 
organization, Indian tribe, or project sponsor has with respect to 
carrying out a project or any other provisions of law applicable to any 
project, plan, or program.''); see also id. 4370m-11 (NEPA is not 
amended by FAST-41). Accordingly, designating mining as a FAST-41 
sector will not grant any permit, authorization, or approval for a 
covered project. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(d)(2) (``Nothing in [FAST-41] . 
. . creates a presumption that a covered project will be approved or 
favorably reviewed by any agency'').
    The Permitting Council has twice voted on proposals to include 
mining as a FAST-41 sector. On May 14, 2019, the Permitting Council 
voted in favor of a proposal to add as a FAST-41 sector mining projects 
that involve construction of infrastructure for extraction of locatable 
minerals, leasable minerals, and saleable minerals located on Federal 
lands. On January 15, 2020, the Permitting Council voted in favor of a 
refined proposal to add as a FAST-41 sector only ``non-energy mining'' 
because, in the Permitting Council's view, it was unnecessary to extend 
duplicative FAST-41 coverage to mining projects that were eligible for 
coverage under the statutory FAST-41 sectors, such as the conventional 
energy sector. The January 2020 vote also expanded the scope of the 
proposed sector to cover non-energy mining on non-Federal as well as 
Federal lands, and to include mining for critical minerals. The 
Permitting Council has determined that it would be appropriate to 
solicit and consider public comments on this topic before adding mining 
as a FAST-41 sector.

[[Page 76000]]

    Specifically, the Permitting Council proposes to designate all 
mining as a FAST-41 sector. This proposed designation includes mining 
on and off federally managed lands, mining of federally managed and 
non-Federally managed minerals, and mining of any mineral, ore, or raw 
material extracted from the ground, regardless of whether such mineral, 
ore, or raw material is used for energy production, manufacturing, or 
any other purpose. Oil and gas exploration and production are not 
included in the proposed FAST-41 mining sector.
    The FAST-41 statute does not provide or imply that a project must 
fall within only one FAST-41 sector. Indeed, a number of projects 
currently covered under FAST-41 are eligible for coverage under a 
number of FAST-41 sectors. For example, a project involving a natural 
gas pipeline and a coastal liquefied natural gas export facility could 
be covered under the statutory ``conventional energy production,'' 
``pipelines,'' or ``ports and waterways'' sectors. A natural gas 
pipeline project could be covered under either the ``conventional 
energy production'' or ``pipelines'' sectors. Likewise, a uranium 
mining project could be covered under either the ``conventional energy 
production'' or the proposed ``mining'' sector described herein. As 
with the other FAST-41 sectors, the Permitting Council will decide at 
the time of coverage which sector is most appropriate for the specific 
project proposed. See FAST-41 Guidance at 19-21.
    The purpose of this proposed rule, like the Permitting Council's 
previous vote on the proposal to add ``non-energy mining,'' is to 
ensure that any qualified mining sector projects that are not part of a 
statutory FAST-41 sector have the option to become FAST-41 covered 
projects. Accordingly, the Permitting Council proposes to add 
``mining'' as a FAST-41 sector. The Permitting Council also proposes to 
define ``mining'' for the purpose of 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A) as the 
process of extracting ore, minerals, or raw materials from the ground. 
As a result, projects (i) ``that involve the construction of 
infrastructure,'' (ii) to extract ore, minerals, or raw materials from 
the ground, and (iii) that meet the other ``covered project'' criteria 
of 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) will be eligible for FAST-41 coverage.
    The Permitting Council continues to believe that, like the other 
FAST-41 sectors, mining, including non-energy mining, is an important 
infrastructure sector. Mining projects also can involve the 
construction of significant infrastructure, involve substantial 
investment, and, in certain circumstances, necessitate extensive 
Federal review and authorization. Accordingly, like qualified projects 
from the statutory FAST-41 sectors, mining projects that satisfy the 
other requirements of 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) could benefit from the 
enhanced interagency coordination and permitting timeline 
predictability provided by FAST-41 coverage. Extending FAST-41 coverage 
to qualified mining projects is consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 
13807, Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental 
Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects, 82 FR 40463 
(Aug. 14, 2017) and E.O. 13817, A Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and 
Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals, 82 FR 60,835 (Dec. 20, 2017).

I. Economic Analysis

    Adding mining as a sector with infrastructure projects eligible for 
coverage under FAST-41could result in improved timeliness, 
predictability, and transparency associated with the projects that 
ultimately become FAST-41 covered projects, and for the Federal 
agencies participating in the FAST-41 process for those covered 
projects. See Permitting Council, FAST-41 Annual Report to Congress for 
FY 2019, and related documents, available at https://www.permits.performance.gov/fpisc-content/fast-41-annual-report-congress-fy-2019. However, quantifying any potential economic benefits 
that might result from adding mining as a FAST-41 sector is 
speculative. Simply providing the option of FAST-41 coverage to 
qualified mining projects does not indicate how many, if any, mining 
project FINs will be submitted to the Permitting Council for coverage 
or how many projects ultimately will be covered. Nor does it guarantee 
that any economic benefits would result from such coverage, 
particularly given that the permitting and environmental review 
requirements and permitting timetables for each covered project are 
unique.
    Although the Permitting Council cannot predict how many mining 
projects may become covered projects, the number will be small. The 
eligibility criterion for FAST-41 coverage is selective; only the 
largest projects that are the most prepared for Federal review may 
become covered projects. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6) (definition of 
``covered project'' including $200 million project value threshold or 
alternative permitting complexity requirement); 4370m-2(c)(1)(A) & 
(B)(ii), 4370m-2(c)(2)(A) (sponsors must provide agencies with 
information sufficient to create a comprehensive and complete project 
permitting timetable within 60 days of initial project coverage); FAST-
41 Guidance, Sec. 3 (project description must be sufficient at the 
outset to facilitate appropriate level of analysis under NEPA and 
interagency coordination on all required permits/authorizations). Since 
FAST-41's enactment in 2015, a total of 52 projects have been covered. 
Of these projects, only 20 were covered as the result of successfully 
submitted FINs that met the FAST-41 coverage criteria. The remaining 34 
projects were statutorily covered as pending projects immediately after 
the enactment of FAST-41 pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 4370m-1(c)(1)(A)(i) and 
4370m-2(b)(2)(A)(i). The 20 successfully submitted FINs include one 
conventional energy production project, one electricity transmission 
project, two pipeline projects, one ports and waterways project, 13 
renewable energy production projects, and two water resource projects.
    Adding mining as a FAST-41 sector likely will result in only a 
small number of new covered projects through 2022. Since the enactment 
of FAST-41 in 2015, the Permitting Council has received fewer than five 
FINs for projects that involve mining that may potentially have been 
eligible for coverage under the statutory FAST-41 sectors (e.g., 
conventional energy). But all of these FINs either were rejected for 
failing to meet other FAST-41 eligibility criteria or were withdrawn by 
the project sponsor for other reasons. The Permitting Council 
anticipates receiving very few--likely 10 or fewer--additional project 
FINs through 2022 as a result of adding mining as a FAST-41 sector, 
particularly given that the FAST-41 program is currently scheduled to 
sunset in 2022 (42 U.S.C. 4370m-12). Moreover, based on historical 
experience, only a portion of the newly submitted FINs likely will 
become covered projects. It is therefore unlikely that adding mining to 
the 10 statutory FAST-41 sectors will result in the coverage of a 
substantial number of new projects.
    Designating mining as a FAST-41 sector could result in reduced 
costs for any mining project sponsor that obtains FAST-41 coverage for 
its project and for the Federal agencies with review and permitting 
responsibilities for the covered project by virtue of potentially 
improved timeliness, predictability, and transparency, associated 
increased Federal agency coordination, and reduced duplication of 
Federal and project sponsor effort. However, these benefits are 
difficult to quantify,

[[Page 76001]]

particularly given that the Federal permitting and environmental review 
requirements and the permitting timetable for each project are unique 
and vary widely from project to project. Because the Permitting Council 
does not know in advance how many projects will be covered as FAST-41 
mining projects, what the permitting or environmental review 
requirements might be for any potential future covered mining project, 
or what opportunities might exist to coordinate any Federal agency 
reviews that might be necessary for any such covered mining project, it 
is impossible to predict with any specificity what, if any, economic 
benefit might broadly accrue as a result of designating mining as a 
FAST-41 sector.
    The proposal to add mining as a FAST-41 sector will not directly 
increase or decrease the costs to agencies of complying with the 
substantive provisions of FAST-41, although there will be costs to the 
Permitting Council associated with any additional project that might 
become a covered project.
    FAST-41 does not impose any regulatory requirements on covered 
project sponsors; FAST-41 implementation obligations fall primarily on 
the government. However, because FAST-41 is a voluntary program, 
sponsors of mining projects potentially eligible for FAST-41 coverage 
would incur some costs associated with seeking FAST-41 coverage. These 
costs associated with a request to be a covered project likely will be 
small. Seeking FAST-41 coverage involves formulating and submitting a 
project FIN, which is expected to take only a few hours. See 42 U.S.C. 
4370m-2(a)(i)(C). Because the Permitting Council anticipates receiving 
few additional project FINs as a result of adding mining as a FAST-41 
sector, and the burden associated with preparing a FIN is minimal, the 
additional economic cost associated with adding mining as a FAST-41 
sector, if any, would be negligible, and likely would be 
counterbalanced by the benefits of FAST-41 coverage.

II. Procedural Matters

A. Regulatory Planning and Review (E.O. 12866) and Improving Regulation 
and Regulatory Review (E.O. 13563)

    This action is a significant regulatory action that was submitted 
to OMB for review.

B. Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs (E.O. 13771)

    This proposed rule is expected to be an E.O. 13771 deregulatory 
action. A discussion of the potential economic benefits of this 
proposed rule can be found in the rule's economic analysis.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as Amended by the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.

    Congress enacted the RFA to ensure that government regulations do 
not unnecessarily or disproportionately burden small entities. Small 
entities include small businesses, small governmental jurisdictions, 
and small not-for-profit enterprises. The RFA generally requires that 
Federal agencies prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for 
regulatory proposals that are subject to the notice and comment 
rulemaking requirements of 5 U.S.C. 503 if the proposal would have a 
significant economic impact, either detrimental or beneficial, on a 
substantial number of small entities. See 5 U.S.C. 601-612. Pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 605(b), the Permitting Council certifies that the proposal to 
provide the option of FAST-41 coverage for qualified mining projects 
that are not already eligible for FAST-41 coverage under any of the 
statutory FAST-41 sectors will not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities.
    As explained in the Economic Analysis section of this proposal, the 
Permitting Council anticipates that the addition of mining as a FAST-41 
sector will result in the submission of 10 or fewer mining project 
FINs, at least some of which, based on the Permitting Council's past 
experience with project FINs that involve mining, likely will not 
become FAST-41 covered projects. Though the Permitting Council does not 
conduct an analysis of the business structures of FAST-41 project 
sponsors to determine whether they are small entities, it is possible 
that at least some of the 10 or fewer project sponsors that submit FINs 
for mining projects could be small entities. The Permitting Council 
reviewed the Small Business Administration size standards for small 
businesses across the mining industry, and, depending on the nature of 
the minerals mined, the threshold for small North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS) Sector-21 mining entities ranges from 
below 250 employees (for anthracite, or uranium-radium-vanadium ore 
mining) to below 1,500 employees (for underground bituminous coal 
mining and gold mining). The small entity threshold for other forms of 
hardrock and ``other'' mining projects falls within this range. 
However, because 10 or fewer entities likely will be affected, the 
Permitting Council does not anticipate that adding mining as a FAST-41 
sector will affect a substantial number of small entities.
    Nor will adding mining as a FAST-41 sector significantly or 
disproportionately impose costs on any small entity that is affected by 
the rule. The requirements for submitting a project FIN are simple and 
not burdensome. The FAST-41 statute only requires the project sponsor 
to formulate and send to the Permitting Council and the lead or 
facilitating agency a project FIN that contains: (1) A statement of the 
purpose and objectives of the project; (2) a description of the general 
project location; (3) any available geospatial information about 
project and environmental, cultural, and historic resource locations; 
(4) a statement regarding the technical and financial ability of the 
project sponsor to construct the proposed project; (5) a statement of 
any Federal financing, environmental reviews, and authorizations 
anticipated to be required to complete the proposed project; and (6) an 
assessment that the proposed project meets the definition of a covered 
project pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A) with supporting rationale. 42 
U.S.C. 4370m-2(a)(1)(A) & (C). Any project sponsor credibly seeking 
Federal authorization and environmental review for a project that 
requires $200 million or more in investment will have the information 
required to submit a successful project FIN readily available, and 
preparing and submitting a project FIN should require only a few hours 
of effort. FAST-41 contains no pre-FIN requirements (although project 
sponsors are free to consult the Permitting Council with any questions 
about the FAST-41 program and FIN preparation or submission), and there 
are no regulations implementing FAST-41 that impose any additional 
requirements on the project sponsor. The lead or facilitating agency 
(and in some instances, the Executive Director) will review the FIN in 
accordance with sections 4.4-4.12 of the FAST-41 Guidance to determine 
whether the project is a FAST-41 covered project. See Fast-41 Guidance 
at 30-34. If the project is a covered project, FAST-41 imposes no 
requirements or obligations on the project sponsor that are additional 
to those imposed by the substantive Federal authorization or 
environmental review statutes that otherwise apply to the project. As 
explained in the Economic Analysis

[[Page 76002]]

section of this proposal, any potential economic benefits that might 
accrue to a covered project sponsor by virtue of the project's FAST-41 
covered status are speculative and project-specific. Accordingly, 
adding mining as FAST-41 sector will not significantly affect a 
substantial number of small entities, and the RFA does not apply.

C. Congressional Review Act

    The proposed rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined under 5 U.S.C. 
804(2) because it will not cause a major increase in costs or prices 
for consumers, individual industries, Federal, state, or local 
government agencies, or geographic regions. The proposal will not have 
an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more.

D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), 2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.

    The proposed rule does not impose an unfunded mandate on state, 
local, or tribal governments, or on the private sector of more than 
$100 million per year. The rule does not have a significant or unique 
effect on state, local, or tribal governments or the private sector. 
Therefore, a statement containing the information required by the UMRA 
is not required. The proposed rule also is not subject to the 
requirements of UMRA section 203 because it contains no regulatory 
requirements that might significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments. The proposed rule contains no requirements that apply to 
small governments, nor does it impose obligations upon them.

E. Federalism (E.O. 13132)

    This action does not have federalism implications under E.O. 13132. 
The proposed rule will not have a substantial direct effect on the 
states, on the relationship between the Federal government and the 
states, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
levels of government. The proposal affects only the eligibility of 
mining project proponents to participate in the voluntary FAST-41 
program; it will not affect the obligations or rights of states or 
local governments or state or local governmental entities.

F. Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988)

    This proposal complies with section 3(a) of E.O. 12988, which 
requires agencies to review all rules to eliminate errors and ambiguity 
and to write all regulations to minimize litigation. This rule also 
meets the criteria of section 3(b)(2), which requires agencies to write 
all regulations in clear language with clear legal standards.

III. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The proposed rule does not involve an agency request for 
information, nor does it require an information response subject to 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). The proposal 
would not alter any of the other FAST-41 eligibility criteria or 
implementation of FAST-41, and does not change the information 
collected from project sponsors seeking FAST-41 coverage. The proposal 
could result in a small increase in the number of project sponsors 
submitting FINs to the Permitting Council.

IV. National Environmental Policy Act

    NEPA requires agencies to consider the reasonably foreseeable 
environmental consequences of major Federal actions significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment. The proposed rule does 
not make any project-level decisions and does not authorize any 
activity or commit resources to a project that may affect the 
environment. Furthermore, under FAST-41 all eligible covered projects 
are subject to NEPA review (42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)).
    FAST-41 focuses on facilitating interagency coordination and agency 
accountability for meeting self-imposed environmental review and 
permitting timetables and providing certain legal protections for 
covered projects. The statute expressly does not supersede NEPA or 
affect any internal procedure or decision-making authority of any 
agency. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(d)(2); 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(d)(i) (FAST-41 
does not supersede, amend, or modify any Federal statute or affect the 
responsibility of any Federal agency officer to comply with or enforce 
any statute); 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(e)(i) (``Nothing in this section 
preempts, limits, or interferes with . . . any practice of seeking, 
considering, or responding to public comment''); 42 U.S.C. 4370m-
6(e)(2) (``Nothing in [FAST-41] preempts, limits, or interferes with . 
. . any power, jurisdiction, responsibility, or authority that a 
Federal, State, or local governmental agency, metropolitan planning 
organization, Indian tribe, or project sponsor has with respect to 
carrying out a project or any other provisions of law applicable to any 
project, plan, or program.''); 42 U.S.C. 4370m-11 (providing that FAST-
41 does not amend NEPA). Because FAST-41 coverage does not alter or 
affect the discretion of any agency to approve or deny any permit or 
authorization for any project, extending potential FAST-41 eligibility 
to otherwise qualified mining projects does not make any mining project 
more or less likely to be permitted, authorized, or constructed, or any 
environmental effect that may be associated with such a project to 
occur. See 42 U.S.C. 4370m-6(d)(2) (``Nothing in [FAST-41] . . . 
creates a presumption that a covered project will be approved or 
favorably reviewed by any agency'').

V. Effects on the Energy Supply (E.O. 13211)

    This proposed rule is not a significant energy action for the 
purposes of E.O. 13211 because it will not have any discernible effect 
on the energy supply. As noted above, qualified energy-related mining 
projects such as coal and uranium are eligible for coverage under FAST-
41's ``conventional energy production'' sector. The only additive 
effect of the proposal would be to make mining projects that are 
unrelated to energy production (and not covered under other statutory 
FAST-41 sectors) eligible for coverage under FAST-41.
    Adding mining as a FAST-41 sector will not extend FAST-41 coverage 
to any specific project--energy related or otherwise--nor will it 
permit or authorize any mining project. Qualified applicants must first 
seek and obtain FAST-41 coverage. Participation in the FAST-41 program 
does not alter any agency's existing discretion to approve or deny 
project permits or authorizations, and does not make ultimate project 
authorization more or less likely. Accordingly, the proposal to add 
mining as a FAST-41 sector will not affect the supply, distribution, or 
use of energy, and is not a ``significant energy action'' for the 
purpose of E.O. 13211.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 1900

    Critical infrastructure, Infrastructure, Mines, Mineral resources, 
Permitting, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Underground 
mining.

Nicholas Falvo,
Attorney Advisor, Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, under the authority of 42 
U.S.C. 4370m et seq., FPISC proposes to add chapter IX to title 40 of 
the Code of Federal regulations as set forth below:

CHAPTER IX--FEDERAL PERMITTING IMRPOVEMENT STEERING COUNCIL

0
1. Add chapter IX to read as follows:

[[Page 76003]]

PART 1900--FEDERAL PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT

Sec.
1900.1 Definitions.
1900.2 FAST-41 Sectors.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq.


1900.1  Definitions.

    For the purposes of this part, the following terms shall have the 
meaning indicated:
    FAST-41 means Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation Act, 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq.
    Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council or Permitting 
Council means the Federal agency established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 
4370m-1(a).
    Mining means the process of extracting ore, minerals, or raw 
materials from the ground. Mining does not include the process of 
extracting oil or natural gas from the ground.


1900.2  FAST-41 Sectors.

    Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A), the Federal Permitting 
Improvement Steering Council has added the following sectors to the 
statutorily defined list of FAST-41 sectors:
    (a) Mining.

[FR Doc. 2020-25235 Filed 11-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-PL-P
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