Two items required from Congress required before work can be initiated on a specific project:

• A. Permits and Licenses
• B. Environmental Impact Statement
• C. Procurement Approval
• D. Authorization and Appropriation

Answer: (D)

Before a federally funded project can begin, Congress must provide two essential actions: authorization and appropriation. Authorization gives the project formal statutory permission and sets the framework for what can be done, while appropriation provides the actual funds needed to pay for the work. Without authorization, the agency lacks the legal authority to proceed; without appropriation, there’s no money to hire contractors, buy materials, or cover expenses. The other items serve different purposes: an Environmental Impact Statement is a planning tool under NEPA to assess environmental effects, not a Congressional grant of authority or funding; permits and licenses are regulatory approvals from agencies; and procurement approval is an internal government process, not a direct act of Congress. Thus, the two congressional actions required to start the project are authorization and appropriation.