To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a conclusive presumption that a State concurs to certain activities, and for other purposes.

This bill would speed up certain federally backed projects in coastal areas. For specific types of projects, a coastal state would be automatically treated as agreeing that the project fits the state’s coastal plan, and a state’s objection could not delay or stop the project from moving forward. The Secretary has 30 days to decide a project doesn’t qualify; if the Secretary does nothing in that time, the automatic approval becomes final and binding.

“Covered activities” include national security activities, critical infrastructure projects, disaster recovery or mitigation, and projects with significant national or regional economic impact carried out in areas with low income or high unemployment (as measured using recent federal or state data).

• Who is affected: Coastal states; federal agencies; applicants for federal permits; and state or local governments seeking federal assistance for coastal projects.
• What changes: These covered projects are presumed to have state sign-off; state objections cannot slow or block them; the Secretary can undo the presumption only within 30 days if the project isn’t covered.
• Timing: The 30-day review window starts when the Secretary receives the project’s determination or certification; after that, the presumption is final.