To promote the development of renewable energy on public land, and for other purposes.
Sponsored By: Representative Levin
In Committee
Summary
Raises the federal renewable energy production target on Federal land from 25 to 60 by December 31, 2030. It pairs that goal with new Priority Areas, programmatic environmental reviews, faster permitting rules, fee caps, and a revenue split that funds states, counties, and a conservation fund.
Show full summary
- Developers and permitting. Establishes Priority Areas and gives those applications priority, allows delegation to State Renewable Energy Coordination Offices, requires programmatic NEPA updates for geothermal, solar, and wind, and sets a 180‑day target for completing an environmental impact statement from a notice of intent while allowing limited exceptions and extensions.
- States and local governments. Directs most wind and solar payments to local stakeholders by splitting 50% of revenues to States and counties and directing 35% into a new Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund through 2045.
- Conservation and land management. Creates the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund to restore habitat, wetlands, and public access where projects affect Federal land, lets Fund interest be used without further appropriation, and preserves multiple‑use land planning with reviews at least every 10 years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Wind and solar revenues for states and counties
From January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2045, revenues from wind and solar on Federal land would be split without further appropriation: 25% to the State, 25% to counties by land share, 15% to BLM’s renewable management account, and 35% to a new conservation fund. Beginning January 1, 2046, the split would be 25% State, 25% counties, 10% to Treasury for permitting, and 40% to the conservation fund. County payments would be in addition to PILT, and State/county uses would follow Mineral Leasing Act rules. The bill would create the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund to restore habitat and improve public access; deposits would earn interest that can be spent, with annual reports. The Secretary would propose a rule within 180 days to set how States share money from projects that cross State lines.
Higher public land renewable goal by 2030
This bill would raise the renewable energy goal on Federal land from 25 to 60 by December 31, 2030. It would also require the Interior Secretary, with Agriculture and other agencies, to update the national goals within 18 months of enactment.
Faster permits with some new costs
If an EIS is needed, Interior would have 180 days after a complete application to issue a notice, with limited reasons to extend. The Secretary could let a State Renewable Energy Coordination Office process applications and hire experts; applicants could be charged for those experts. Agencies would issue a cost recovery agreement within 30 days of a complete filing, and paying those fees would block new land-use claims while the application is active. Early site tests, like soil and weather checks, could be excluded from detailed environmental review by rule. Most applications would not be reviewed through a competitive process, unless two or more file for the same site within 15 days or for competitive leases in Priority Areas. An application would be “complete” if it addresses known conflicts; agencies could not demand extra studies just to mark it complete.
Lower lease fees, but bonds required
This bill would cap rents and fees for renewable leases and rights-of-way on Federal land so they do not exceed average private-land rates in the same State or county. Interior could use a 5‑year pastureland rent survey instead of appraisals, and future increases would be tied to the GDP price index at lease issuance. A capacity fee could be used only if similar fees exist on State or private land in the area. Developers would also have to post a decommissioning bond equal to site-specific reclamation costs minus salvage value, with no per‑acre minimum.
New planning zones and reviews
The bill would update big, program-level environmental reviews for geothermal (2008), solar (2012), and wind (2005). Interior would set Priority Areas and Exclusion Areas on covered land, and review these choices at least every 10 years, or more often if goals may be missed. It would define covered land and projects, and say storage must hold at least 5 kilowatt-hours; areas under the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan would be excluded. Interior would consider new solar priority areas within 18 months after a December 2024 decision, and start the wind review within 1 year and finish within 3 years after a notice. Projects in Priority Areas would get processing priority.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Levin
CA • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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