; (B) interpreting and enforcing regulations that impact the recovery and preservation of Puget Sound; (C) issuing Federal licenses or permits that impact the recovery and preservation of Puget Sound; and (D) granting Federal assistance to State, local, and Tribal governments for activities related to the recovery and preservation of Puget Sound. (2) Exemptions Any Federal agency activity necessary for national security, deemed by the President to be in the paramount interest of the United States, or determined by the Task Force, in consultation with the State Advisory Committee and the Puget Sound Tribal Management Conference, to be necessary to complete a project that was approved prior to the enactment of this section shall be exempt from the consistency requirements established in paragraph (1). (c) Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office (1) Establishment There is established in the Environmental Protection Agency a Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office to be located in the State of Washington. (2) Director (A) In general The Director of the Program Office shall be a career reserved position, as such term is defined in section 3132(a)(8) of title 5. (B) Qualifications The Director of the Program Office, by reason of prior leadership and project management experience, shall be highly qualified to— (i) support the integration of multiple project planning efforts and programs from different agencies and jurisdictions; and (ii) align numerous and often conflicting needs toward implementing a shared action agenda with visible and measurable outcomes. (3) Delegation of authority; staffing The Administrator shall delegate to the Director such authority and provide such additional staff as may be necessary to carry out this subsection. (4) Duties The Director shall— (A) coordinate and manage the timely execution of the Environmental Protection Agency’s role described in this section, including the formation and meetings of the Task Force