---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 720d"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "720d"
heading: "Federal Coordinator"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/720d"
units:
  - "Chapter 15D — Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline"
---

# §720d. Federal Coordinator

- (a) **Establishment—** There is established, as an independent office in the executive branch, the Office of the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) for [Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects](/usc/15/720.md?p=2).
- (b) **Federal Coordinator—**
  - (1) **Appointment—** The Office shall be headed by a [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) for [Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects](/usc/15/720.md?p=2), who shall be appointed by the [President](/usc/15/720.md?p=6), by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve a term to last until 1 year following the completion of the project referred to in [section 720a of this title](/usc/15/720a.md).
  - (2) **Compensation—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) shall be compensated at the rate prescribed for level III of the Executive Schedule ([5 U.S.C. 5314](/usc/5/5314.md)).
- (c) **Duties—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) shall be responsible for—
  - (1) coordinating the expeditious discharge of all activities by Federal agencies with respect to an [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2); and
  - (2) ensuring the compliance of Federal agencies with the provisions of this chapter.
- (d) **Reviews and actions of other Federal agencies—**
  - (1) **Expedited reviews and actions—** All reviews conducted and actions taken by any Federal agency relating to an [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2) authorized under this section shall be expedited, in a manner consistent with completion of the necessary reviews and approvals by the deadlines under this chapter.
  - (2) **Prohibition of certain terms and conditions—** No Federal agency may include in any certificate, right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization issued to an [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2) any term or condition that may be permitted, but is not required, by any applicable law if the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) determines that the term or condition would prevent or impair in any significant respect the expeditious construction and operation, or an expansion, of the [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2).
  - (3) **Prohibition of certain actions—** Unless required by law, no Federal agency shall add to, amend, or abrogate any certificate, right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization issued to an [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2) if the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) determines that the action would prevent or impair in any significant respect the expeditious construction and operation, or an expansion, of the [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2).
  - (4) **Limitation—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) shall not have authority to—
    - (A) override—
      - (i) the implementation or enforcement of regulations issued by the [Commission](/usc/15/720.md?p=4) under [section 720a of this title](/usc/15/720a.md); or
      - (ii) an order by the [Commission](/usc/15/720.md?p=4) to expand the project under [section 720c of this title](/usc/15/720c.md); or
    - (B) impose any terms, conditions, or requirements in addition to those imposed by the [Commission](/usc/15/720.md?p=4) or any agency with respect to construction and operation, or an expansion of, the project.
- (e) **State coordination—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) and the [State](/usc/15/720.md?p=8) shall enter into a joint surveillance and monitoring [agreement](/usc/15/7a.md?p=2) similar to the [agreement](/usc/15/7a.md?p=2) in effect during construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, to be approved by the [President](/usc/15/720.md?p=6) and the Governor of the [State](/usc/15/720.md?p=8), for the purpose of monitoring the construction of the [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2).
  - (2) **Primary responsibility—** With respect to an [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2)—
    - (A) the Federal Government shall have primary surveillance and monitoring responsibility in areas where the [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2) crosses Federal land or private land; and
    - (B) the [State](/usc/15/720.md?p=8) government shall have primary surveillance and monitoring responsibility in areas where the [Alaska natural gas transportation project](/usc/15/720.md?p=2) crosses [State](/usc/15/720.md?p=8) land.
- (f) **Transfer of Federal Inspector functions and authority—** On appointment of the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) by the [President](/usc/15/720.md?p=6), all of the functions and authority of the Office of Federal Inspector of Construction for the [Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System](/usc/15/720.md?p=3) vested in the [Secretary](/usc/15/720.md?p=7) under section 3012(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 ([15 U.S.C. 719e](/usc/15/719e.md) note; Public Law 102–486), including all functions and authority described and enumerated in the Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1979 (44 Fed. Reg. 33663), Executive Order No. 12142 of June 21, 1979 (44 Fed. Reg. 36927), and [section 5](/usc/15/5.md) of the [President](/usc/15/720.md?p=6)’s decision, shall be transferred to the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5).
- (g) **Temporary authority—** The functions, authorities, duties, and responsibilities of the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) shall be vested in the [Secretary](/usc/15/720.md?p=7) until the earlier of the appointment of the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) by the [President](/usc/15/720.md?p=6), or 18 months after October 13, 2004.
- (h) **Administration—**
  - (1) **Personnel appointments—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) may appoint and terminate such personnel as the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) determines to be appropriate.
    - (B) **Authority of Federal Coordinator—** Personnel appointed by the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) under [subparagraph (A)](#h-1-A) shall be appointed without regard to the provisions of [title 5](/usc/5.md) governing appointments in the competitive service.
  - (2) **Compensation—**
    - (A) **In general—** Subject to [subparagraph (B)](#h-2-B), personnel appointed by the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) under [paragraph (1)(A)](#h-1-A) shall be paid without regard to the provisions of [chapter 51](/usc/15/chch51.md) and subchapter III of [chapter 53](/usc/5/chptIII/sptD/ch53.md) of title 5 (relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates).
    - (B) **Maximum level of compensation—** The rate of pay for personnel appointed by the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) under [paragraph (1)(A)](#h-1-A) shall not exceed the maximum level of rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule ([5 U.S.C. 5314](/usc/5/5314.md)).
    - (C) **Allowances—** [Section 5941 of title 5](/usc/5/5941.md) shall apply to personnel appointed by the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) under [paragraph (1)(A)](#h-1-A).
  - (3) **Temporary services—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) may procure temporary and intermittent services in accordance with [section 3109(b) of title 5](/usc/5/3109.md?p=b).
    - (B) **Maximum level of compensation—** The level of compensation of an individual employed on a temporary or intermittent basis under [subparagraph (A)](#h-3-A) shall not exceed the maximum level of rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule ([5 U.S.C. 5314](/usc/5/5314.md)).
  - (4) **Fees, charges, and commissions—**
    - (A) **In general—** With respect to the duties of the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5), as described in this chapter, the [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) shall have similar authority to establish, change, and abolish reasonable filing and service fees, charges, and [commissions](/usc/15/720.md?p=4), require deposits of payments, and provide refunds as provided to the [Secretary](/usc/15/720.md?p=7) of the Interior in [section 1734 of title 43](/usc/43/1734.md).
    - (B) **Authority of Secretary of the Interior—** [Subparagraph (A)](#h-4-A) shall not affect the authority of the [Secretary](/usc/15/720.md?p=7) of the Interior to establish, change, and abolish reasonable filing and service fees, charges, and [commissions](/usc/15/720.md?p=4), require deposits of payments, and provide refunds under [section 1734 of title 43](/usc/43/1734.md).
    - (C) **Use of funds—** The [Federal Coordinator](/usc/15/720.md?p=5) is authorized to use, without further appropriation, amounts collected under [subparagraph (A)](#h-4-A) to carry out this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–324, div. C, § 106, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1259; Pub. L. 109–148, div. A, title VIII, § 8128, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2731; Pub. L. 110–140, title VIII, § 802, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1717.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (c)(2) and (d)(1), was in the original “this division”, meaning division C of Pub. L. 108–324, Oct. 13, 2004, 118 Stat. 1255, which is classified principally to this chapter. This chapter, referred to in subsec. (h)(4)(A), was in the original “this Act”, also meaning division C of Pub. L. 108–324 as provided in section 2 of Pub. L. 108–324, 118 Stat. 1220. For complete classification of division C to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 720 of this title and Tables.

Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1979, referred to in subsec. (f), is set out as a note under section 719e of this title.

Executive Order No. 12142, referred to in subsec. (f), is set out as a note under section 719e of this title.

### Amendments

2007—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 110–140 added subsec. (h).

2005—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–148 substituted “earlier” for “later”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 110–140 effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.