[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3141. Mr. THUNE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2953 proposed by Ms. Murkowski to the bill S. 2012, to 
provide for the modernization of the energy policy of the United 
States, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; 
as follows:

       At the end of title III, add the following:

                        Subtitle I--Wind Energy

     SEC. 3801. INTERAGENCY RAPID RESPONSE TEAM FOR WIND ENERGY.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established an interagency 
     rapid response team, to be known as the ``Interagency Rapid 
     Response Team for Wind Energy'' (referred to in this section 
     as the ``Team''), to expedite and improve the permitting 
     process for wind generation on Federal land and non-Federal 
     land.
       (b) Membership.--The Team shall be comprised of 
     representatives from--
       (1) the Department;
       (2) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission;
       (3) the Department of the Interior;
       (4) the Department of Defense;
       (5) the Department of Agriculture;
       (6) the Department of Commerce;
       (7) the Environmental Protection Agency;
       (8) the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation;
       (9) the Federal Aviation Administration; and
       (10) the Council on Environmental Quality.
       (c) Duties.--The Team shall--
       (1) establish clear timelines for the review of projects;
       (2) facilitate coordination and unified environmental 
     documentation among wind project applicants, Federal 
     agencies, States, and Indian tribes involved in the siting 
     and permitting processes; and
       (3) regularly notify all participating members of the Team 
     involved in any specific permit of--
       (A) any outstanding agency action that is required with 
     respect to the permit; and
       (B) any approval or required comment that has exceeded 
     statutory or agency timelines for completion, including an 
     identification of any Federal agency, department, or field 
     office that has not met the applicable timeline.
       (d) Point of Contact.--The Federal Energy Regulatory 
     Commission shall provide a unified point of contact for--
       (1) resolving interagency or intraagency issues or delays 
     with respect to wind permitting; and
       (2) receiving and resolving complaints from parties with 
     outstanding or in-process applications relating to wind 
     permitting.
                                 ______