Sponsors (3)
The bill speeds development of wind and solar on existing federal leases to boost clean generation and local economic activity, but does so by enabling narrower environmental review and expanded permitting authority that could create local environmental risks, land-use impacts, and management conflicts.
Utilities and energy companies — can build or evaluate solar and wind facilities on existing federal energy lease areas, accelerating renewable deployment and increasing clean electricity supply (supports grid decarbonization and energy diversity).
Utilities and energy companies and state governments — potential to shorten permitting timelines because the Secretary can find activities qualify for a NEPA categorical exclusion, reducing project delays and administrative barriers.
Rural communities near leased federal lands — likely to gain jobs and local economic activity from new clean energy projects developed on those leases.
Rural communities and local governments — projects that qualify for a NEPA categorical exclusion could avoid full environmental review, raising the risk of unexamined local environmental impacts.
Leaseholders and local residents — may face land-use changes and local disruption if renewable infrastructure is added to existing leased areas.
State governments and energy companies — expanding permit authority could create conflicts between existing mineral/geothermal uses and new renewable installations, complicating land-management priorities and project operations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows Interior to permit solar or wind on existing federal oil/gas/geothermal lease areas with leaseholder consent and requires a 180-day NEPA categorical-exclusion review and implementing rule.
Allows the Interior Secretary to permit construction or operation of solar or wind energy systems on areas within existing Federal energy leases (oil, gas, geothermal) on Interior-managed land, but only with the leaseholder’s consent. Requires the Secretary to decide within 180 days whether such co-location activities (on leased and comparable unleased areas) qualify for a NEPA categorical exclusion and to issue an implementing rule.
Official title: To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to co-locate renewable energy projects on certain existing Federal leased areas, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 30, 2025 by Mike Kennedy · Last progress September 30, 2025