Bill Details
S.896 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-03-06 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced Date
2025-03-06
Policy Area
Energy
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
3
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would let the Secretary of the Interior allow solar and wind energy projects to be added to certain existing federal energy lease areas, such as areas already leased for oil, gas, coal, or geothermal development. In simple terms, it tries to make it easier to use the same federal land or offshore space for more than one kind of energy project at a time. The bill says the current leaseholder must agree before any new solar or wind work can be allowed. It also requires the Interior Department to look at whether some of these projects should be treated as low-environmental-impact actions under federal environmental review rules, and to write rules to carry out the law.
- The Interior Secretary could allow companies to study existing federal lease areas for solar or wind potential.
- The Secretary could also issue permits to build or run solar or wind systems on those existing lease areas.
- The leaseholder’s consent is required before any study or permit can be approved.
- Within 180 days, the Secretary must decide whether some of these projects can be covered by simpler environmental review rules, and then issue regulations to implement the bill.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 896 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 896
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to co-locate renewable
energy projects on certain existing Federal leased areas, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 6, 2025
Mr. Curtis (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to co-locate renewable
energy projects on certain existing Federal leased areas, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Co-Location Energy Act''.
SEC. 2. CO-LOCATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Existing federal energy lease.--The term ``existing
Federal energy lease'' means a lease, easement, or right-of-
way, as applicable--
(A) on land managed by the Secretary; and
(B) that was issued, granted, or renewed on or
before the date of enactment of this Act under--
(i) the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181
et seq.); or
(ii) the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(b) Authorization To Evaluate Leased Areas for Renewable Energy
Development.--
(1) In general.--In addition to the authority of the
Secretary under section 8(p) of the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)) and section 501(a)(4) of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1761(a)(4)), the Secretary may authorize a person to evaluate
an area of an existing Federal energy lease for solar or wind
energy development.
(2) Consent of leaseholder.--The Secretary may not
authorize a person to evaluate an area under paragraph (1)
unless the applicable leaseholder consents to that
authorization.
(c) Permits for Renewable Energy Development on Existing Oil, Gas,
Coal, and Geothermal Lease Areas.--
(1) In general.--In addition to the authority of the
Secretary under section 8(p) of the Outer Continental Shelf
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)) and section 501(a)(4) of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1761(a)(4)), the Secretary may issue a permit to authorize a
person to construct or operate systems or facilities for the
production, transportation, storage, or transmission of energy
from solar or wind resources on an area of an existing Federal
energy lease.
(2) Consent of leaseholder.--The Secretary may not issue a
permit for an activity described in paragraph (1) unless the
applicable leaseholder consents to the issuance of that permit.
(d) Categorical Exclusions.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall determine whether any of
the actions for which a permit may be issued under subsection (c)(1),
or any actions that may be carried out pursuant to constructing or
operating systems or facilities for the production, transportation,
storage, or transmission of energy from solar or wind resources on
areas not subject to an existing Federal energy lease, are a category
of actions that normally do not significantly affect the quality of the
human environment within the meaning of section 102(2)(C) of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).
(e) Rulemaking.--The Secretary shall issue a rule to carry out this
section.
<all>