[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2170 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2170

  Streamlining Federal review to facilitate renewable energy projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 14, 2011

  Mr. Hastings of Washington (for himself, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Broun of 
   Georgia, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee, and Mr. Wittman) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  Streamlining Federal review to facilitate renewable energy projects.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cutting Federal Red Tape to 
Facilitate Renewable Energy Act''.

SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS.

    (a) Compliance With NEPA for Renewable Energy Projects.--In 
complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (41 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.) with respect to any action authorizing or facilitating a 
proposed renewable energy project, a Federal agency shall--
            (1) consider only the proposed action and the no action 
        alternative;
            (2) analyze only the proposed action and the no action 
        alternative; and
            (3) identify and analyze potential mitigation measures only 
        for the proposed action and the no action alternative.
    (b) Public Comment.--In complying with the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 with respect to a proposed renewable energy project, 
a Federal agency shall only consider public comments that specifically 
address the proposed action or the no action alternative (or both) and 
are filed within 30 days after publication of a draft environmental 
assessment or draft environmental impact statement.
    (c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Federal waters.--The term ``Federal waters'' means 
        waters seaward of the coastal zone (as that term is defined in 
        section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 
        U.S.C. 1453)), to the limits of the exclusive economic zone or 
        the Outer Continental Shelf, whichever is farther.
            (2) Outer continental shelf.--The term ``Outer Continental 
        Shelf'' has the meaning the term ``outer Continental Shelf'' 
        has in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et 
        seq.).
            (3) Renewable energy project.--The term ``renewable energy 
        project'' means a project on Federal lands or in Federal 
        waters, including a project on the Outer Continental Shelf, 
        using wind, solar power, geothermal power, biomass, or tidal or 
        kinetic forces to generate energy.
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