§18761 Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land

Summary

The Secretary must set up a program to test whether clean energy projects can work on current and former mine land. The program can fund up to 5 projects in different regions, and at least 2 must be solar. Projects must show they are likely to be commercially viable on a mine site. When picking projects, the Secretary will favor ones that create the most jobs, cut the most greenhouse gas emissions, make the most U.S. jobs and local economic gains (especially in economically distressed areas and for workers displaced from manufacturing, coal plants, or coal mining), offer strong technology and commercial potential, have the lowest average cost to produce or store energy, emit the least greenhouse gas per unit of electricity, and finish fastest from permitting to operation. The Secretary will work with Interior, EPA, and Labor, check with mining claimholders or the Office of Surface Mining to confirm compatibility and rights, consider rules to speed siting, and give technical help for grid connection and permits. Defined terms (one line each): clean energy project — a project using one or more technologies such as solar, microgrids, geothermal, direct air capture, fossil generation with carbon capture, energy storage (including pumped hydro or compressed air), or advanced nuclear; economically distressed area — as described in section 3161(a); mine land — lands covered by titles IV and V of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and lands claimed or patented under sections 2319–2344 of the Mining Law of 1872; program — the demonstration program described above. Up to $500,000,000 is authorized for fiscal years 2022 through 2026.