To improve the environmental review process for highway projects through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms and digital twins, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself and Mr. Stanton) …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill encourages the use of modern digital technology - specifically interactive online platforms and 3D "digital twin" models - to streamline environmental reviews for major federal highway projects. The goal is to make the environmental review process faster and more accessible to the public by replacing traditional paper documents with interactive digital tools that allow people to visualize and understand proposed infrastructure projects.
Who Benefits and How
Technology companies that create digital platform software and 3D modeling tools would gain new business opportunities, as highway project sponsors would be encouraged to purchase these solutions. Engineering and consulting firms that specialize in creating digital twins and 3D visualizations would see increased demand for their services. Construction companies and state transportation departments that adopt these technologies would receive priority consideration when applying for major federal highway grants worth billions of dollars through programs like INFRA, Mega, and RAISE.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Department of Transportation would face new administrative work: staff must develop best practice guidance within 90 days, select and manage at least 10 pilot projects, and produce two detailed reports to Congress within the first year. Smaller construction companies, local governments, and environmental consulting firms that lack the resources or technical expertise to implement expensive digital platform systems would be at a competitive disadvantage when competing for federal grants. Federal environmental agencies would need to learn new digital tools and adapt their review processes.
Key Provisions
- Directs the Transportation Secretary to publish guidance within 90 days encouraging digital platforms and 3D digital twins for highway environmental reviews
- Requires selection of at least 10 major highway projects to demonstrate these new digital technologies
- Gives grant application priority to projects that commit to using interactive digital platforms for environmental compliance
- Mandates two Congressional reports (at 180 days and 1 year) evaluating whether digital tools improve efficiency and public engagement
- Protects existing state authority under the surface transportation project delivery program
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Modernizes environmental review processes for federal highway projects by encouraging the use of interactive digital platforms and 3D digital twins for NEPA compliance and public engagement.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Voluntary technology adoption through best practice guidance, pilot demonstrations, and grant prioritization rather than mandates; focuses on modernizing federal infrastructure review processes to improve efficiency and public engagement"
Likely Beneficiaries
- Technology companies providing digital platform and digital twin solutions
- Engineering and consulting firms specializing in 3D modeling and environmental impact analysis
- Construction and infrastructure development firms (potential for faster project approval)
- Recipients of federal highway grants (INFRA, Mega, RAISE) who adopt digital platforms
- State DOTs participating in surface transportation project delivery program (section 327)
Likely Burden Bearers
- Department of Transportation (new guidance development, pilot selection, reporting requirements)
- Federal agencies involved in environmental review (learning curve for new digital tools)
- Grant applicants who do not have capacity to implement digital platforms (competitive disadvantage)
- Smaller consulting firms without digital twin capabilities
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Transportation
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A highway project that received a grant under any of the following programs: (A) INFRA grant program (section 117 of title 23, USC); (B) Mega grant program (section 6701 of title 49, USC); (C) RAISE grant program (section 6702 of title 49, USC); or (D) RAISE/BUILD grant program (national infrastructure investments program)
The Secretary of Transportation
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology