Bill > S2666

This bill, the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2019, aims to promote the development of renewable energy projects on public lands. Key provisions include: 1) Requiring the Secretary of the Interior to establish priority areas on public lands for geothermal, solar, and wind energy development, and allowing for the consideration of "variance areas" for renewable projects. 2) Streamlining the environmental review process for renewable energy projects on public lands by allowing the Secretary to rely on existing programmatic environmental impact statements. 3) Establishing a program to improve federal permit coordination for renewable energy projects on public lands, including designating staff with relevant expertise to expedite the permitting process. 4) Providing economic incentives, such as limiting increases in rental rates and allowing for reductions in rental rates, to encourage renewable energy development. 5) Creating the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund to use a portion of revenues from renewable energy development on public lands for habitat restoration, wildlife corridors, and improving public access. 6) Promoting the coproduction of geothermal energy on existing oil and gas leases and allowing for noncompetitive leasing of adjoining areas for geothermal development. The overall goal is to facilitate the development of 25 gigawatts of renewable energy projects on public lands by 2025.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2666/all-info