Paving the Way for Rural Communities Act of 2021

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2413 To provide an exemption from certain requirements for federally funded projects and activities in areas not in metropolitan statistical areas, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 8, 2021 Mr. KUSTOFF (for himself and Mr. CRAWFORD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To provide an exemption from certain requirements for feder- ally funded projects and activities in areas not in metro- politan statistical areas, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Paving the Way for 4 Rural Communities Act of 2021’’. 5 SEC. 2. FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES 6 NOT IN METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS. 7 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Na- 8 tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:08 Jun 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2413.IH H2413 2 •HR 2413 IH et seq.), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1 1531 et seq.), and division A of subtitle III of title 54, 2 United States Code (formerly known as the ‘‘National 3 Historic Preservation Act’’), shall not apply to any project 4 or activity that— 5 (1) is not located in a metropolitan statistical 6 area (as defined by the Office of Management and 7 Budget); and 8 (2) is carried out using Federal funds. 9 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:08 Jun 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2413.IH H2413