119-hr3634

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3634 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3634

 To improve the environmental review process for highway projects 
 through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms and 
 digital twins, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 May 29, 2025

 Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself and Mr. Stanton) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To improve the environmental review process for highway projects 
 through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms and 
 digital twins, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Interactive Federal Review Act''.

SEC. 2. DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND DIGITAL TWINS FOR NEPA REVIEWS FOR 
 HIGHWAY PROJECTS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Covered project.--The term ``covered project'' means a 
 highway project that received a grant under any of the 
 following:
        (A) The nationally significant freight and highway 
 projects program under 

section 117 of title 23, United 
 States Code (commonly known as the ``Infrastructure for 
 Rebuilding America

    (INFRA) grant program'').
        (B) The national infrastructure project assistance 
 program under 

section 6701 of title 49, United States 
 Code (commonly known as the ``Mega grant program'').
            (C) The local and regional project assistance 
 program under 

section 6702 of title 49, United States 
 Code (commonly known as the ``Rebuilding American 
 Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

    (RAISE) grant program'').
            (D) The program for national infrastructure 
 investments (commonly known as the ``Rebuilding 
 American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

    (RAISE) grant program'' and formerly known as the 
 ``Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development

    (BUILD) grant program'').

    (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Transportation.

    (b) 

=== Purposes ===
-The purposes of this section are--

    (1) to expedite the environmental review process at Federal 
 agencies and for the general public; and

    (2) to facilitate interactive public stakeholder engagement 
 and understanding of environmental impacts of projects under 
 the Federal-aid highway system.
            (c) Encouraged Use of Digital Platforms and Digital Twins.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall encourage recipients 
 of Federal funds from the Secretary to utilize interactive, 
 digital, cloud-based platforms and high fidelity, 3-dimensional 
 digital models of infrastructure project elements, such as 
 digital twins, when carrying out environmental reviews under 
 the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
 et seq.) by publishing the guidance described in paragraph

    (2) .

    (2) Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish technology-
 neutral best practice guidance to encourage sponsors of 
 projects that receive Federal funds from the Secretary to use 
 an interactive, digital, cloud-based platform and high 
 fidelity, 3-dimensional digital models of infrastructure 
 project elements, such as digital twins, in carrying out the 
 environmental impact analysis and community engagement 
 processes required under the National Environmental Policy Act 
 of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
            (d) Use of Digital Platforms and Digital Twins in Covered 
Projects.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select not less than 
 10 covered projects to demonstrate the use of interactive, 
 digital, cloud-based platforms and high fidelity, 3-dimensional 
 digital models of infrastructure project elements, such as 
 digital twins, in carrying out the environmental impact 
 analysis and community engagement processes required under that 
 Act, which may include projects in States participating in the 
 surface transportation project delivery program under 

section 327 of title 23, United States Code.

    (2) Additional projects.--In addition to the covered 
 projects selected by the Secretary under paragraph

    (1) , the 
 Secretary shall include additional projects that utilize 
 interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms and high fidelity, 
 3-dimensional digital models of infrastructure project 
 elements, such as digital twins, in the report under subsection

    (e) , on request of the sponsors of those projects.

    (3) Priority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
 in selecting covered projects under a program described in 
 subparagraphs
        (A) through
            (D) of subsection

    (a)

    (1) , the 
 Secretary shall give priority to applications for projects that 
 demonstrate a plan to implement an interactive, cloud-based 
 platform and high fidelity, 3-dimensional digital models of 
 infrastructure project elements, such as digital twins, to 
 carry out the environmental impact analysis and community 
 engagement processes required under the National Environmental 
 Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

    (e) Reports.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
 Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
 Representatives a report on the efficacy of using interactive, 
 cloud-based platforms and high fidelity, 3-dimensional digital 
 models of infrastructure project elements, such as digital 
 twins, in carrying out environmental impact analysis and 
 community engagement requirements under the National 
 Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
 including--
        (A) metrics that describe estimates of achieved 
 efficiencies, community engagement measures, and 
 efficiencies enjoyed across Federal agencies; and
        (B) examples of digital workflows enabled.

    (2) Publication of examples.--Not later than 1 year after 
 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish 
 on the website of the Department of Transportation, and submit 
 to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate 
 and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
 House of Representatives, not less than 5 examples of an 
 environmental impact statement, environmental assessment, or 
 categorical exclusion document developed using an interactive, 
 digital, cloud-based platform and high fidelity, 3-dimensional 
 digital models of infrastructure project elements, such as 
 digital twins.

    (f) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section affects or 
interferes with the authorities or responsibilities assumed by a State 
under 

section 327 of title 23, United States Code.
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