To direct the Secretary of the Interior to give priority to consideration of applications for permits and other authorizations required for renewable energy projects on Federal public land, and for other purposes.

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to give priority to the consideration of applications for permits and other authorizations required for renewable energy projects on federal public lands and to issue regulations that establish an expeditied process for the submission and consideration of such applications, including projects pending before the Department of the Interior.

Specifies the treatment of such projects with regard to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

Requires the Secretary to promptly identify federal public land under the Secretary's administrative jurisdiction that is suitable and feasible for renewable energy projects.

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 6909 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6909

      To direct the Secretary of the Interior to give priority to 
  consideration of applications for permits and other authorizations 
required for renewable energy projects on Federal public land, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 16, 2008

  Mr. Porter introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To direct the Secretary of the Interior to give priority to 
  consideration of applications for permits and other authorizations 
required for renewable energy projects on Federal public land, 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. RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON PUBLIC LANDS.

    (a) Applications for Renewable Energy Projects on Federal Public 
Land.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior--
                    (A) shall give priority to consideration of 
                applications for permits and other authorizations 
                required for renewable energy projects on Federal 
                public land;
                    (B) shall issue regulations that establish an 
                expedited and efficient process for the submission and 
                consideration of such applications, including projects 
                pending before the Department of the Interior on the 
                date of the enactment of this Act; and
                    (C) shall approve or disapprove such an application 
                by not later than 180 days after the date the 
                application is submitted.
            (2) Failure to act on application.--If the Secretary fails 
        to approve or disapprove an application in accordance with 
        paragraph (1)(C), the application is deemed approved by the 
        Secretary
    (b) Treatment Under National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.--For 
purposes of the National the Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the 
regulations under that Act--
            (1) any renewable energy project on Federal public land is 
        deemed to be in the public interest; and
            (2) no statement under section 102(2)(C) of that Act (42 
        U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) is required for such a project if an 
        environmental assessment is prepared for the project in 
        accordance with those regulations.
    (c) Lease or Sale of Federal Public Land.--
            (1) In general.--In any lease or sale of Federal public 
        land for use for a renewable energy project, the amount 
        required to be paid to the United States as rent or the 
        purchase price shall not exceed the fair market value of the 
        land before any construction or other improvement of the land 
        for such project.
            (2) Limitation.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect 
        to any part of the land that is used for any purpose other than 
        for the renewable energy project.
    (d) Identification of Suitable Land.--The Secretary of the Interior 
shall promptly identify Federal public land under the administrative 
jurisdiction of the Secretary that is suitable and feasible for 
renewable energy projects.
                                 <all>