Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 119.djvu/1881

 PUBLIC LAW 109–59—AUG. 10, 2005

119 STAT. 1863

‘‘(B) every 60 days thereafter until such date as all decisions of the Federal agency relating to the project have been made by the Federal agency, an additional notice that describes the number of decisions of the Federal agency that remain outstanding as of the date of the additional notice. ‘‘(4) INVOLVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC.—Nothing in this subsection shall reduce any time period provided for public comment in the environmental review process under existing Federal law, including a regulation. ‘‘(h) ISSUE IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION.— ‘‘(1) COOPERATION.—The lead agency and the participating agencies shall work cooperatively in accordance with this section to identify and resolve issues that could delay completion of the environmental review process or could result in denial of any approvals required for the project under applicable laws. ‘‘(2) LEAD AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.—The lead agency shall make information available to the participating agencies as early as practicable in the environmental review process regarding the environmental and socioeconomic resources located within the project area and the general locations of the alternatives under consideration. Such information may be based on existing data sources, including geographic information systems mapping. ‘‘(3) PARTICIPATING AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.—Based on information received from the lead agency, participating agencies shall identify, as early as practicable, any issues of concern regarding the project’s potential environmental or socioeconomic impacts. In this paragraph, issues of concern include any issues that could substantially delay or prevent an agency from granting a permit or other approval that is needed for the project. ‘‘(4) ISSUE RESOLUTION.— ‘‘(A) MEETING OF PARTICIPATING AGENCIES.—At any time upon request of a project sponsor or the Governor of a State in which the project is located, the lead agency shall promptly convene a meeting with the relevant participating agencies, the project sponsor, and the Governor (if the meeting was requested by the Governor) to resolve issues that could delay completion of the environmental review process or could result in denial of any approvals required for the project under applicable laws. ‘‘(B) NOTICE THAT RESOLUTION CANNOT BE ACHIEVED.— If a resolution cannot be achieved within 30 days following such a meeting and a determination by the lead agency that all information necessary to resolve the issue has been obtained, the lead agency shall notify the heads of all participating agencies, the project sponsor, the Governor, the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Council on Environmental Quality, and shall publish such notification in the Federal Register. ‘‘(i) PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a program to measure and report on progress toward improving and expediting the planning and environmental review process. ‘‘(j) ASSISTANCE TO AFFECTED STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES.—

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