Sec. 301. Geothermal, solar, and wind leasing priority areas
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In this section, the following terms apply: The term covered land means land that is— Federal land; and not excluded from the development of geothermal energy under— a land use plan established under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ); or any other Federal law. The term priority area means covered land identified by the land use planning process of the Bureau of Land Management as being a preferred location for a renewable energy project for solar, wind, or geothermal energy.
The term solar designated leasing area means covered land identified by the land use planning process of the Bureau of Land Management as being a preferred location for a solar energy project, including the solar energy zones established by the 2012 Western Solar Plan of the Bureau of Land Management, and any subsequent land use plan amendments. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall establish priority areas on covered land for geothermal, solar, and wind energy projects.
With respect to geothermal and wind energy, the Secretary shall establish priority areas as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act. Solar designated leasing areas shall be considered to be priority areas for solar energy leases. The Secretary shall establish additional priority areas for solar energy as soon as practicable, but not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act. In determining which covered land to designate as a priority area for geothermal, solar, or wind leasing under subsection (b), the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall consider if— the covered land is preferable for geothermal, solar, or wind leasing; production of geothermal, solar, or wind energy on such land is economically viable, including if such land has access to methods of energy transmission; and the designation would be in compliance with section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 ), including subsection (c)(9) of that section.
Not less frequently than once every 5 years, the Secretary shall— review covered land and, if appropriate, make additional designations of priority areas for geothermal, solar, or wind leasing; and review each area designated as a priority area for geothermal, solar, or wind energy leasing under this section and, if appropriate, remove such designation. For the purposes of this section, compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ) shall be accomplished— with respect to geothermal energy, by supplementing the October 2008 final programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing in the Western United States and incorporating any additional regional analyses that have been completed by Federal agencies since such programmatic environmental impact statement was finalized; with respect to solar energy, by supplementing the July 2012 final programmatic environmental impact statement for solar energy development and incorporating any additional regional analyses that have been completed by Federal agencies since such programmatic environmental impact statement was finalized; and with respect to wind energy, by supplementing the July 2005 final programmatic environmental impact statement for wind energy development and incorporating any additional regional analyses that have been completed by Federal agencies since such programmatic environmental impact statement was finalized.
If the Secretary determines that additional environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ) is necessary for a proposed renewable energy project, the Secretary shall— rely on the analysis in the programmatic environmental impact statement conducted under subsection (e), to the maximum extent practicable when analyzing the potential impacts of the project; complete any such environmental review document by not later than 364 days; and limit any such review documents to 150 pages in length.
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