Sponsors (2)
Introduced March 17, 2026 by Mark Edward Kelly · Last progress March 17, 2026
The bill speeds delivery of small, federally supported water projects and reduces federal NEPA workload, but does so by curtailing environmental review and public participation, raising risks of environmental harm and reduced transparency for affected communities.
Local and state project sponsors and nearby communities can implement eligible water infrastructure projects faster because NEPA assessments and EISs are bypassed for qualifying small federal cost-share projects, delivering flood-control and water-quality benefits sooner.
The U.S. Army Corps and other federal administrators will face a lower NEPA workload and potential administrative cost savings because fewer projects require full NEPA reviews.
Residents and ecosystems in project areas — including disadvantaged and rural communities — may face unrecognized or unmitigated environmental harms because projects that skip NEPA will not receive full environmental review or thorough environmental-justice analysis.
Local residents, stakeholders, and state/local governments will have reduced opportunities for public participation and transparency because NEPA public-review processes are limited or eliminated for qualifying projects.
Short deadlines for designation and rulemaking could rush implementation and reduce opportunity for broader stakeholder input, increasing the risk of inconsistent application or weaker safeguards across jurisdictions.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Exempts certain small or low‑federal‑share Army Corps community water projects from NEPA review, with regulations due in 150 days and designations in 180 days.
Designates certain Army Corps water resources projects as categorically excluded from NEPA environmental assessments and environmental impact statements so eligible community water projects can move forward faster. It requires the Secretary of the Army to issue implementing regulations within 150 days and to designate qualifying projects within 180 days of enactment. The exclusion applies only to projects that (1) use an Army Corps continuing authority or an environmental infrastructure assistance program, (2) will have construction performed by a non‑Federal sponsor, and (3) meet federal cost tests: either a federal share below $6,000,000 or a federal share below 15% when total project cost is at most $35,000,000. The bill does not appropriate funds or create new federal spending programs.