H.R. 1994

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To promote the development of renewable energy on public lands, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · March 10, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Gosar

Sec. 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2025.

Sec. 2. Table of contents.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

• Sec. 1. Short title.
• Sec. 2. Table of contents.
• Sec. 3. Definitions.
• Sec. 4. Limited grandfathering.
• Sec. 5. Disposition of revenues.

Sec. 3. Definitions.

In this Act:

• The term covered land means land that is—
• The term Federal land means—
• The term Fund means the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund established by section 5(c)(1).
• The term renewable energy project means a project carried out on covered land that uses wind or solar energy to generate energy.
• The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

Sec. 4. Limited grandfathering.

• (a) Definition of project
  • In this section, the term project means a system described in section 2801.9(a)(4) of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act).
• (b) Requirement To pay rents and fees
  • Unless otherwise agreed to by the owner of a project, the owner of a project that applied for a right-of-way under section 501 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 () on or before December 19, 2016, shall be obligated to pay with respect to the right-of-way all rents and fees in effect before the effective date of the rule of the Bureau of Land Management entitled (81 Fed. Reg. 92122 (December 19, 2016)). Competitive Processes, Terms, and Conditions for Leasing Public Lands for Solar and Wind Energy Development and Technical Changes and Corrections 43 U.S.C. 1761

Sec. 5. Disposition of revenues.

• (a) Disposition of revenues
  • (1) Availability
    • Except as provided in paragraph (2), beginning on January 1, 2026, of amounts collected from a wind or solar project as bonus bids, rentals, fees, or other payments under a right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization the following shall be made available, without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation, as follows:
      • Twenty-five percent shall be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury to the State within the boundaries of which the revenue is derived.
      • Twenty-five percent shall be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury to the one or more counties within the boundaries of which the revenue is derived, to be allocated among the counties based on the percentage of land from which the revenue is derived.
      • Twenty-five percent shall be deposited in the Treasury and be made available to the Secretary to carry out the program established under this Act, including the transfer of the funds by the Bureau of Land Management to other Federal agencies and State agencies to facilitate the processing of renewable energy permits on Federal land, with priority given to using the amounts, to the maximum extent practicable without detrimental impacts to emerging markets, to expediting the issuance of permits required for the development of renewable energy projects in the States from which the revenues are derived.
      • Twenty-five percent shall be deposited in the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund established by subsection (c).
  • (2) Exceptions
    • Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the following:
      • Amounts collected under section 504(g) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (). 43 U.S.C. 1764(g)
      • Amounts deposited into the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund under section 200402(b) of title 54, United States Code.
• (b) Payments to States and counties
  • (1) In general
    • Amounts paid to States and counties under subsection (a)(1) shall be used consistent with section 35 of the Mineral Leasing Act (). 30 U.S.C. 191
  • (2) Payments in lieu of taxes
    • A payment to a county under paragraph (1) shall be in addition to a payment in lieu of taxes received by the county under of title 31, United States Code. chapter 69
• (c) Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund
  • (1) In general
    • There is established in the Treasury a fund to be known as the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund, which shall be administered by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture.
  • (2) Use of funds
    • The Secretary may make amounts in the Fund available to Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies to be distributed in regions in which renewable energy projects are located on Federal land. Such amounts may be used to—

• restore and protect—
  • (i) fish and wildlife habitat for affected species;
  • (ii) fish and wildlife corridors for affected species; and
  • (iii) wetlands, streams, rivers, and other natural water bodies in areas affected by wind or solar energy development; and
• preserve and improve recreational access to Federal land and water in an affected region through an easement, right-of-way, or other instrument from willing landowners for the purpose of enhancing public access to existing Federal land and water that is inaccessible or restricted.