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42 U.S.C. § 6

Title 42 Chapter 55 Current through PL 119-73 Last updated: March 29, 2026 View on OLRC →
Sections in this chapter

§ 4370m–6. Litigation, judicial review, and savings provision

  • (a)
    • (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a claim arising under Federal law seeking judicial review of any authorization issued by a Federal agency for a covered project shall be barred unless—
      • (A) the claim is filed not later than 2 years after the date of publication in the Federal Register of notice of final agency action on the authorization, unless a shorter time is specified in the Federal law under which judicial review is allowed; and
      • (B) in the case of an action pertaining to an environmental review conducted under NEPA—
        • (i) the claim is filed by a party that submitted a comment during the environmental review; and
        • (ii) any commenter filed a sufficiently detailed comment so as to put the lead agency on notice of the issue on which the party seeks judicial review, or the lead agency did not provide a reasonable opportunity for such a comment on that issue.
    • (2)
      • (A) The head of a lead agency or participating agency shall consider new information received after the close of a comment period if the information satisfies the requirements under regulations implementing NEPA.
      • (B) If Federal law requires the preparation of a supplemental environmental impact statement or other supplemental environmental document, the preparation of such document shall be considered a separate final agency action and the deadline for filing a claim for judicial review of the agency action shall be 2 years after the date on which a notice announcing the final agency action is published in the Federal Register, unless a shorter time is specified in the Federal law under which judicial review is allowed.
    • (3) Nothing in this subsection creates a right to judicial review or places any limit on filing a claim that a person has violated the terms of an authorization.
  • (b) In addition to considering any other applicable equitable factors, in any action seeking a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction against an agency or a project sponsor in connection with review or authorization of a covered project, the court shall—
    • (1) consider the potential effects on public health, safety, and the environment, and the potential for significant negative effects on jobs resulting from an order or injunction; and
    • (2) not presume that the harms described in paragraph (1) are reparable.
  • (c) Except as provided in subsection (a), nothing in this subchapter affects the reviewability of any final Federal agency action in a court of competent jurisdiction.
  • (d) Nothing in this subchapter—
    • (1) supersedes, amends, or modifies any Federal statute or affects the responsibility of any Federal officer to comply with or enforce any statute; or
    • (2) creates a presumption that a covered project will be approved or favorably reviewed by any agency.
  • (e) Nothing in this subchapter preempts, limits, or interferes with—
    • (1) any practice of seeking, considering, or responding to public comment; or
    • (2) any power, jurisdiction, responsibility, or authority that a Federal, State, or local governmental agency, metropolitan planning organization, Indian tribe, or project sponsor has with respect to carrying out a project or any other provisions of law applicable to any project, plan, or program.

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