H.R. 1874

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

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.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · March 5, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Kiley of California · Committee: Committee on Natural Resources

Table of contents

• H.R. 1874
  • SEC. 1. Conclusive presumption for certain activities

SEC. 1. Conclusive presumption for certain activities

• Section 307 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 () is amended by adding at the end: 16 U.S.C. 1456
  • (j) Conclusive presumption for certain activities
    • (1) In general
      • Except as provided in paragraph (3), with respect to a covered activity, a coastal state shall be conclusively presumed to concur with—
        • a consistency determination provided to the coastal state by a Federal agency under subsection (c)(1)(C);
        • a determination or other finding of a Federal agency under subsection (c)(2) that a development project in the coastal zone of the coastal state is consistent with the enforceable policies of the approved state management program of the coastal state;
        • a certification provided to the coastal state by an applicant under subsection (c)(3)(A) or person under subsection (c)(3)(B); and
        • a determination or other finding of a State or local government under subsection (d) that an application for Federal assistance submitted by such State or local government is consistent with the enforceable policies of the approved state management program of the coastal state.
    • (2) Limitation on objection
      • An objection or other challenge by a coastal state to an activity subject to a conclusive presumption of concurrence under paragraph (1) may not delay or otherwise prevent the activity from proceeding.
    • (3) Review of presumptive concurrence
      • (A) In general
        • Not later than 30 days after the Secretary receives a consistency determination, certification, or other relevant finding under this section, the Secretary may issue a written determination with respect to an activity subject to a conclusive presumption of concurrence under paragraph (1) that nullifies the conclusive presumption of concurrence if the Secretary finds that the activity is not a covered activity.
      • (B) Presumption of finality
        • If the Secretary does not issue a written determination under subparagraph (A) with respect to an activity subject to a conclusive presumption of concurrence under paragraph (1) within the time period described in that subparagraph, the conclusive presumption of concurrence shall be final and binding.
    • (4) Definitions
      • In this subsection:
      • (A) Activity with a significant national or regional economic impact
        • The term means an activity— activity with a significant national or regional economic impact
          • (i) that is authorized or funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government; and
          • (ii) that is carried out in—
          • an area with a low per capita income; or
          • an area with a high unemployment rate.
      • (B) Area with a high unemployment rate
        • The term means an area where the unemployment rate, for the most recent 24-month period for which data is available, is at least 1 percentage point higher than the national average unemployment rate for such period, as determined by the Secretary using the most recent data available from— area with a high unemployment rate
          • (i) the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce;
          • (ii) the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor;
          • (iii) another Federal source the Secretary determines appropriate; or
          • (iv) if no recent Federal data is available, data from the State agencies of such area the Secretary determines appropriate.
      • (C) Area with a low per capita income
        • The term means an area where the per capita income is not more than 20 percent less than the national average per capita income, as determined by the Secretary using the most recent data available from— area with low per capita income
          • (i) the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce; or
          • (ii) another Federal source the Secretary determines appropriate.
      • (D) Covered activity
        • The term means— covered activity
          • (i) a national security activity;
          • (ii) a critical infrastructure project;
          • (iii) a disaster recovery or mitigation activity; or
          • (iv) an activity with a significant national or regional economic impact.
      • (E) Critical infrastructure
        • The term has the meaning given the term in section 1016(e) of the USA PATRIOT Act (). critical infrastructure 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)
      • (F) Critical infrastructure project
        • The term means any project— critical infrastructure project
          • (i) that is authorized or funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government; and
          • (ii) that involves—
          • the planning, construction, maintenance, or improvement of critical infrastructure;
          • a facility or an activity associated with any critical infrastructure sectors; or
          • a material or asset that is essential to the operation, maintenance, or development of critical infrastructure.
      • (G) Critical infrastructure sectors
        • The term has the meaning given the term in section 2001 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (). critical infrastructure sectors 6 U.S.C. 601
      • (H) Disaster recovery or mitigation activity
        • The term means an activity— disaster recovery or mitigation activity
          • (i) that is authorized or funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government; and
          • (ii) that is carried out to prevent, prepare for, respond to, recover from, or mitigate the effects of—
          • an emergency;
          • a major disaster; or
          • any other incident or threat that the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency determines poses a significant risk to public health, safety, or property.
      • (I) Emergency; major disaster
        • The terms and have such meanings given such terms in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (). emergency major disaster 42 U.S.C. 5122
      • (J) Intelligence community
        • The term has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (). intelligence community 50 U.S.C. 3003
      • (K) National security activity
        • The term means an activity that is carried out by or on behalf of— national security activity
          • (i) the Department of Defense;
          • (ii) the Department of Homeland Security; or
          • (iii) the intelligence community.