text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Urban Sprawl and Smart Growth Study 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      The Congress finds as follows:
              (1) Urban sprawl destroys valuable open space, farmland, 
          wildlife, and natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational 
          resources.
              (2) Urban sprawl also leads to costly public expenditures 
          for infrastructure, public schools, and transportation for 
          newly developed areas while causing disinvestment in the urban 
          cores of cities and towns.
              (3) Smart growth can prevent these problems and help 
          enhance the quality of life for everyone.
              (4) Although growth management is primarily a State, 
          tribal, and local responsibility, the effects of Federal 
          actions contributing to or avoiding urban sprawl can be 
          considerable.
              (5) Federal agencies can benefit from additional guidance 
          to improve the use of environmental impact statements and 
          environmental assessments in considering the potential effects 
          of their proposed actions on urban sprawl and smart growth.
  
  SEC. 3. SMART GROWTH STUDY.
  
      (a) Study Required.--The Council on Environmental Quality shall 
  conduct a study of urban sprawl and smart growth that updates and 
  builds on the Council's 1974 study entitled ``The Costs of Sprawl'' and 
  the Council's 1981 study entitled ``National Agricultural Lands 
  Study''.
      (b) Examination of Environmental Impact Statements.--In conducting 
  the study, the Council shall select and examine a variety of 
  environmental impact statements and environmental assessments by a 
  minimum of 15 Federal agencies, that were completed after 1995 for land 
  and facility management, transportation and infrastructure, and 
  regulatory and development assistance programs, including rural, urban, 
  and tribal assistance.
      (c) Public Participation.--The Council shall provide opportunities 
  for public participation in the study, including by--
              (1) conducting public meetings in at least 5 cities that, 
          as determined by the Council, are each located--
                      (A) in a different region of the United States; and
                      (B) in an area that is experiencing an increase in 
                  urban sprawl;
              (2) making electronically accessible to the public 
          information on the study and related documents; and
              (3) holding discussions with Federal, State, and local 
          government personnel and representatives of Indian tribes 
          involved in the process of formulating environmental impact 
          statements and environmental assessments.
      (d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Council shall submit a report to the 
  Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
  Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate describing the 
  results of the study, including the following:
              (1) Findings of the Council concerning the economic, 
          environmental, and land use effects of urban sprawl, such as 
          those relating to energy, transportation, housing, schools, 
          small business, Government facilities and military 
          installations, public lands and forests, parks and recreation, 
          agriculture and rural landscapes, air and water, and natural, 
          scenic, and cultural resources.
              (2) Recommendations for improving environmental reviews by 
          Federal agencies to more adequately address urban sprawl.
              (3) Recommendations for nonregulatory actions that may be 
          taken by Federal agencies to--
                      (A) assist States and local communities in efforts 
                  to promote the beneficial effects of smart growth; and
                      (B) minimize actions by the agencies that result in 
                  adverse effects of urban sprawl.
      (e) Participation of Other Agencies.--In carrying out this section, 
  the Council should seek the participation of other Federal agencies.
      (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated to the Council $300,000 for the purpose of carrying out 
  this section, in addition to any other amounts that are available for 
  such purpose.
  
  SEC. 4. COMMENTS ON URBAN SPRAWL.
  
      In any written comment prepared under section 309 of the Clean Air 
  Act (42 U.S.C. 7609) for any matter contained in any proposed 
  legislation, Federal project, Federal agency action, or proposed 
  regulation described in clause (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a) of 
  that section, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
  shall address the impact of the matter on urban sprawl.
  
  SEC. 5. NOTIFICATION, CONSULTATION, AND CONSIDERATION OF EFFECTS BEFORE 
                DETERMINING WHETHER TO PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 
                STATEMENT.
  
      (a) Notice and Comment.--In preparing an environmental assessment 
  for a proposed Federal action and before determining whether to prepare 
  an environmental impact statement for the action, the head of a Federal 
  agency shall--
              (1) publish notice of the action in the Federal Register 
          and local newspapers of general circulation;
              (2) directly notify persons that may be affected by the 
          proposed Federal action, including each State government, local 
          government, Indian tribe, and private property owner that may 
          be so affected;
              (3) conduct discussions with such persons on the proposed 
          action and its alternatives; and
              (4) seek to address such persons' concerns, if any.
      (b) Consideration of Request for Environmental Impact Statement.--
  If the Governor of a State or the head of a local government or Indian 
  tribe referred to in subsection (a)(1) submits in writing to the head 
  of the Federal agency a statement that the proposed Federal action will 
  result in urban sprawl significantly affecting the quality of the human 
  environment and a request for preparation of an environmental impact 
  statement for the proposed Federal action, the head of the Federal 
  agency shall give great weight to the request in determining whether to 
  prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed Federal 
  action.
      (c) Publication of Environmental Assessment.--If, after receiving a 
  written statement and request for an environmental impact statement 
  under subsection (b) for a proposed Federal action, the head of a 
  Federal agency determines that the environmental impact statement is 
  not required by section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy 
  Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the agency head shall--
              (1) include in an environmental assessment for the action 
          an explanation of why the proposed action will not result in 
          urban sprawl significantly affecting the quality of the human 
          environment;
              (2) provide public notice of the availability of the 
          assessment in the Federal Register and local newspapers of 
          general circulation; and
              (3) transmit a copy of the assessment to the Council on 
          Environmental Quality.
      (d) Urban Sprawl.--The head of a Federal agency shall include in an 
  environmental impact statement requested pursuant to subsection (b), 
  for each alternative included in the statement under section 
  102(2)(C)(iii) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
  U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)(iii)), an analysis of the environmental effects of 
  the action on urban sprawl.
  
  SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
  
      For purposes of this Act:
              (1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Council on 
          Environmental Quality.
              (2) Environmental assessment.--The term ``environmental 
          assessment'' has the meaning given to that term in section 
          1508.9 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect 
          on the date of the enactment of this Act.
              (3) Environmental impact statement.--The term 
          ``environmental impact statement'' means a detailed written 
          statement under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
          Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).
              (4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' means any 
          Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or 
          community, including any Alaska Native village or regional 
          corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska 
          Native Claims Settlement Act, that is recognized as eligible 
          for the special programs and services provided by the United 
          States to members of the Indian tribe because of their status 
          as members.
              (5) Urban sprawl.--The term ``urban sprawl''--
                      (A) means any change in the pattern of the use of 
                  land outside of an urban center that results in a 
                  relatively dispersed form of residential or commercial 
                  development; and
                      (B) includes any such change that--
                              (i) may result in loss of open space, 
                          farmland, rural landscapes, wildlife, or 
                          natural, cultural, scenic, or recreational 
                          resources; or
                              (ii) may result in high public costs for 
                          infrastructure, public facilities, or 
                          transportation and lead to disinvestment in 
                          older urban or suburban areas.
              (6) Smart growth.--The term ``smart growth'' means policies 
          regarding growth and development that--
                      (A) recognize the effects of new growth and 
                  development, including the environmental, economic, and 
                  social costs described in paragraph (5)(B); and
                      (B) attempt to mitigate those effects in advance so 
                  as to avoid or reduce them.
target: Urban Sprawl and Smart Growth Study Act - Requires the Council on Environmental Quality to study and report to specified congressional committees on urban sprawl and smart growth, examining environmental impact statements (EIS) and assessments by a minimum of 15 Federal agencies that were completed after 1995.Provides for consideration of urban sprawl in environmental assessments and EIS prepared by Federal agencies for proposed Federal actions.
feat_title: To require the Council on Environmental Quality to conduct a study on urban sprawl and smart growth, and to ensure the consideration by Federal agencies of urban sprawl in the preparation of their environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.