Interactive Federal Review Act

This bill aims to significantly improve and expedite the environmental review process for federal highway projects by leveraging advanced digital technologies. Its primary goals are to accelerate agency reviews and enhance interactive public stakeholder engagement and understanding of environmental impacts. It specifically promotes the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms and high fidelity, 3-dimensional digital models , such as digital twins, for environmental impact analysis and community outreach. The Secretary of Transportation is directed to publish technology-neutral best practice guidance within 90 days to encourage the adoption of these digital tools by federal fund recipients. The Secretary must also select at least 10 "covered projects" to demonstrate their practical application in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, and will prioritize grant applications for highway projects that commit to implementing these innovative digital solutions. To assess effectiveness, the bill requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress within 180 days detailing the efficacy of these digital tools, including metrics on achieved efficiencies and community engagement. Additionally, within one year, the Secretary must publish at least five examples of environmental documents developed using these interactive digital platforms and models.