S. 3278

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3278 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3278

To require the Secretary of Transportation to develop a centralized, 
web-based platform for managing, submitting, and tracking documents and 
processes relating to compliance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 20, 2025

Ms. Lummis (for herself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Transportation to develop a centralized, 
web-based platform for managing, submitting, and tracking documents and 
processes relating to compliance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, 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 ``Streamlining Modeling for Advanced, 
Rapid Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2025'' or the ``SMART 
Infrastructure Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) Federal permitting processes for infrastructure 
projects are often delayed due to inefficient coordination, 
imperfect communication of complex information, manual data 
handling, and lack of transparency;
(2) 2-dimensional paper- and PDF-based project designs 
impede the effective communication of complex, integrated 
engineering-based project information to government agencies, 
project stakeholders, laypersons, and local communities, 
causing delays in permitting and project delivery;
(3) digital twin technology enables real-time, high 
quality, high resolution, data-driven modeling of 
infrastructure projects that improves planning, environmental 
review, and stakeholder collaboration;
(4) digital twin technology is widely available on the 
commercial market from a variety of vendors;
(5) digital twins of infrastructure projects include and 
preserve detailed information about the project, acting as a 
single source of truth for all participants in the development 
of the project, which improves quality, reduces project risk, 
and accelerates delivery;
(6) technological progress in the planning, permitting, 
design, construction, delivery, operation, and management of 
infrastructure is best achieved when design models are 
developed and transmitted in interoperable, digital, high-
fidelity, 3-dimensional formats;
(7) an electronic NEPA portal can centralize permitting 
data, streamline reviews, reduce environmental review 
timelines, and enhance public access to environmental 
documents; and
(8) modernizing permitting processes will accelerate 
critical infrastructure development, support economic growth, 
and ensure environmental protections.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
(2) Covered infrastructure project.--The term ``covered 
infrastructure project'' means any infrastructure project under 
Title 49 for which the Department of Transportation is the lead 
agency.
(3) Digital twin.--The term ``digital twin'', with respect 
to an infrastructure project or infrastructure asset, means a 
high-fidelity, digital model of the infrastructure project or 
infrastructure asset that--
(A) integrates real-time data from design, 
construction, operation, maintenance, and environmental 
factors to simulate the performance and impacts of the 
infrastructure project or infrastructure asset; and
(B) is used to ensure greater accuracy, efficiency, 
and seamless integration of elements throughout the 
infrastructure project or infrastructure asset 
lifecycle.
(4) Eligible project.--The term ``eligible project'' means 
a covered infrastructure project for which each of the 
following are used:
(A) 1 or more digital twins.
(B) The e-NEPA portal developed under section 5(a).
(5) E-NEPA document.--The term ``e-NEPA document'' means an 
electronic environmental document or other NEPA-related 
document, including a permitting document, that is developed, 
submitted, reviewed, or tracked through the use of an e-NEPA 
portal.
(6) E-NEPA portal.--The term ``e-NEPA portal'' means a 
centralized, web-based platform--
(A) for managing, submitting, and tracking 
documents and processes relating to NEPA compliance; 
and
(B) through which e-NEPA documents are developed 
with interactive, digital technologies and systems to 
streamline--
(i) document development; and
(ii) communications between project 
sponsors, government agencies, and community 
stakeholders with respect to the documents and 
processes required under NEPA.
(7) Environmental document.--The term ``environmental 
document'' has the meaning given the term in section 111 of 
NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4336e).
(8) Infrastructure.--The term ``infrastructure'' means 
physical infrastructure.
(9) Lead agency.--The term ``lead agency'' has the meaning 
given the term in section 111 of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4336e).
(10) NEPA.--The term ``NEPA'' means the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
(11) Open application programming interface.--The term 
``open application programming interface'' mean an open source, 
machine-readable specification format that facilitates the 
integration of different systems from a variety of vendors, 
allowing the free exchange of data between engineering software 
tools, and enabling clear documentation and communication, 
without users needing access to the source code.
(12) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Transportation.

SEC. 4. DIGITAL TWIN IMPLEMENTATION IN PERMITTING.

(a) Guidelines for Adoption of Digital Twin Technology.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the 
Council on Environmental Quality and relevant Federal agencies, 
shall establish guidelines for integrating digital twin 
technology into the permitting process for covered 
infrastructure projects.
(2) Requirements.--
(A) In general.--The guidelines established under 
paragraph (1) shall include--
(i) standards for creating and maintaining 
digital twins to model project impacts, 
including environmental, economic, and 
operational factors;
(ii) requirements for interoperability with 
existing Federal permitting systems; and
(iii) protocols for real-time data 
integration from environmental sensors, 
geographic information systems, and stakeholder 
inputs.
(B) Open application programming interfaces.--The 
standards described in subparagraph (A)(i) shall 
include recommendations that digital twins be developed 
with open application programming interfaces.
(b) Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a pilot 
program to test digital twin applications in not less than 10 
covered infrastructure projects across diverse sectors.
(2) Requirements.--The pilot program established under 
paragraph (1) shall evaluate--
(A) the extent of any--
(i) reductions in permitting timelines;
(ii) improvements in environmental impact 
assessments;
(iii) cost savings; and
(iv) stakeholder collaboration outcomes; 
and
(B) the importance of early public stakeholder 
engagement.
(3) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings of 
the pilot program.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF E-NEPA PORTAL.

(a) Development.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in coordination with the 
Council on Environmental Quality, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Secretary of Commerce, 
shall develop an e-NEPA portal for covered infrastructure 
projects.
(2) Requirements.--The e-NEPA portal developed under 
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) serve as a centralized platform for submitting, 
reviewing, and tracking e-NEPA documents;
(B) integrate with digital twin models to provide 
real-time visualization of the impacts of covered 
infrastructure projects;
(C) provide public access to--
(i) nonsensitive e-NEPA documents; and
(ii) comment periods; and
(D) include secure data storage compliant with 
Federal cybersecurity standards.
(b) Agency Coordination.--
(1) Requirement.--Beginning not later than January 1, 2028, 
all Federal agencies involved in an environmental review under 
NEPA for a covered infrastructure project shall use the e-NEPA 
portal developed under subsection (a) for all permitting 
relating to that covered infrastructure project.
(2) Role of the secretary.--For each covered infrastructure 
project for which the e-NEPA portal developed under subsection 
(a) is used, the Secretary shall--
(A) oversee portal-based coordination; and
(B) ensure compliance with statutory deadlines.
(c) Public Interface.--The e-NEPA portal developed under subsection 
(a) shall include a public interface allowing stakeholders and members 
of the public, including communities--
(1) to access, for covered infrastructure projects--
(A) project timelines;
(B) nonsensitive e-NEPA documents; and
(C) information relating to the status of 
permitting for the covered infrastructure project; and
(2) to submit comments on a digital platform or website 
during NEPA public comment periods.

SEC. 6. ACCELERATED PERMITTING TIMELINES.

(a) Streamlined Reviews.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use all available 
existing authorities to reduce NEPA environmental review 
timelines for eligible projects by not less than 25 percent 
compared to existing averages.
(2) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate 
guidance or regulations, as necessary, to implement the 
requirements of paragraph (1).
(b) Interagency Coordination.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use the e-NEPA portal 
developed under section 5(a) to coordinate with other Federal, 
State, and local agencies to accelerate reviews for covered 
infrastructure projects.
(2) Single environmental document.--A single environmental 
document shall be used across agencies for each covered 
infrastructure project.

SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT.

The Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress an annual report that describes--
(1) any progress made with respect to--
(A) the integration of digital twin technology into 
the permitting process for covered infrastructure 
projects; and
(B) the development and use of an e-NEPA portal for 
covered infrastructure projects;
(2) any reductions in permitting timelines and costs for 
covered infrastructure projects; and
(3) any environmental, public stakeholder, or community 
outcomes from the use of digital twins or the e-NEPA portal 
developed under section 5(a).
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