Co-Location Energy Act

Summary#

This bill lets the Secretary of the Interior evaluate and permit solar or wind projects on parts of certain existing federal energy leases. An "existing Federal energy lease" means a lease, easement, or right-of-way on land managed by the Secretary that was issued, granted, or renewed on or before enactment under the Mineral Leasing Act or the Geothermal Steam Act. The Secretary may authorize a person to evaluate an area for solar or wind energy and may issue permits to build or operate solar or wind systems on those leased areas. The Secretary may not authorize evaluations or issue permits without the leaseholder's consent. The bill also directs the Secretary to decide within 180 days whether these actions qualify as categorical exclusions under NEPA and to issue a rule to carry out the section.

What it means for you#

• If you hold an affected lease, the Secretary must get your consent before allowing evaluations or permitting renewable projects on your leased area.
• If you are a company or person that develops renewable energy, this creates a pathway to evaluate and seek permits to co-locate solar or wind on certain existing lease areas, subject to leaseholder consent.
• If you live near such leased areas, the bill requires a NEPA-related decision and rulemaking, but the text does not describe direct local effects.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs. The bill requires the Secretary to make a NEPA categorical-exclusion determination within 180 days and to complete rulemaking, which would involve administrative actions, but no cost estimates are provided.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.