A grantee may adopt another agency's environmental review
What the document says“may adopt, without review or public comment, any environmental review, approval, or permit performed by a Federal agency, and such adoption shall satisfy the responsibilities of the recipient with respect to such environmental review, approval, or permit under section 104(g)(1), so long as the actions covered by the existing environmental review, approval, or permit and the actions proposed for these supplemental funds are substantially the same.”
The new section 124 lets a recipient using the money to supplement assistance under named sections of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act adopt, without further review or public comment, an environmental review, approval, or permit another federal agency has done, so long as the actions covered are substantially the same. The Secretary or a State may then immediately approve release of funds on a request and certification, or where the project is categorically excluded from review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
What the document actually says“may adopt, without review or public comment, any environmental review, approval, or permit performed by a Federal agency, and such adoption shall satisfy the responsibilities of the recipient with respect to such environmental review, approval, or permit under section 104(g)(1), so long as the actions covered by the existing environmental review, approval, or permit and the actions proposed for these supplemental funds are substantially the same.”
A place may take on a review another federal agency already did. No new review or comment round is needed. That works only if the work covered is much the same.
A study of effects on nature can take months. Doing it twice for the same work wastes time. This lets one study serve both.
No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken, and nobody has yet read it against the record. See what the tracker does not yet cover.