FREEDOM Act

Summary

Creates a faster, more enforceable federal permitting framework for major energy projects, gives project sponsors new legal tools to challenge agency delays or cancellations, and provides initial funding to support the system. It also speeds up geothermal leasing by requiring annual sales, mandates replacement sales within 180 days if cancelled, requires cost‑recovery rules and a streamlined concurrent federal permitting process for geothermal projects, and establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman at BLM. The bill defines covered energy projects and key terms, requires agencies to meet new timelines and milestone requirements (with court review and remedies if they do not), authorizes an initial $50 million capitalization for an implementation fund, and allows permit applicants to pay fees to recover agency coordination and inspection costs.

• Creates a new statutory framework allowing energy project sponsors to seek expedited judicial review of agency delays, revocations, or failures to act.
• Establishes an initial $50 million Fund and authorizes additional sums to support implementation of the subtitle.
• Defines covered energy projects and key terms (lead agency, complex authorization, environmental document, project sponsor) to standardize permitting procedures.
• Requires annual geothermal lease sales and a mandatory replacement sale within 180 days if a sale is cancelled or delayed.
• Directs Interior to issue cost‑recovery rules within 180 days and to create a streamlined concurrent federal permitting process for geothermal projects within 1 year.
• Creates a Geothermal Ombudsman at BLM to help resolve disputes and coordinate permitting.
• Requires issuance of cost‑recovery agreements for certain right‑of‑way applications within 30 days of a complete filing.
• Allows potential intervenors with Article III standing to move to join lawsuits and requires courts to act promptly on intervention motions.
• Sets subtitle effective dates: applies to new notices 90 days after enactment and to pending notices 120 days after enactment.