summary
Introduced
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
113th Congress
Bill Summary
Advancing Offshore Wind Production Act - Exempts any project determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be an offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project from environmental impact statement requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Defines an "offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project" as a project that is administered by the Department of the Interior and carried out on or in the waters of the Outer Continental Shelf to test or monitor weather (including wind, tidal, current, and solar energy) using towers, buoys, or other temporary ocean infrastructure and that: (1) causes less than one acre of surface or seafloor disruption at the location of each meteorological tower or other device and no more than five acres of surface or seafloor disruption within the proposed area affected by the project (including hazards to navigation), (2) is decommissioned within five years of its commencement, and (3) provides meteorological information to the Secretary of the Interior. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require that any applicant seeking to conduct an offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring project on the outer Continental Shelf obtain a permit and right of way; (2) determine whether to issue such a permit and right of way within 30 days after receiving an application; (3) provide an opportunity for submission of comments by the public; (4) consult with the Secretary of Defense (DOD), the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and the heads of other federal, state, and local agencies that would be affected by issuance of the permit and right of way; and (5) provide an applicant the opportunity to remedy deficiencies in an application that was denied.
AI Summary
This bill, titled the Advancing Offshore Wind Production Act, aims to streamline the process for developing offshore wind energy by exempting certain projects from extensive environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, projects determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be "offshore meteorological site testing and monitoring projects" will be exempt from NEPA's environmental impact statement requirements. These projects are defined as those administered by the Department of the Interior on the Outer Continental Shelf (the submerged lands beyond state waters) to test weather conditions, including wind, tidal, current, and solar energy, using temporary infrastructure like towers or buoys. Key conditions for these projects include minimal surface or seafloor disruption (less than one acre per device and no more than five acres total), a decommissioning timeline of five years, and the provision of meteorological data to the Secretary of the Interior. The bill also directs the Secretary to establish a permitting process for these projects, requiring applicants to obtain a permit and right-of-way, with a decision to be made within 30 days. This process includes opportunities for public comment and consultation with relevant federal agencies like the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard, and allows applicants to correct any deficiencies in their applications if denied.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. (on 04/11/2013)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/1398/all-info |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr1398ih/pdf/BILLS-113hr1398ih.pdf.pdf |
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