The Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 includes various sections aimed at speeding up the process for energy-related permits and leases. It covers onshore and offshore energy leasing, renewable energy coordination, electric transmission planning, reliability assessments, liquefied natural gas exports, and hydropower licenses, indicating a broad effort to improve the permitting system across the energy sector.

The section outlines the process for obtaining necessary authorizations for various projects related to energy, carbon capture, and mineral extraction. It establishes a 150-day deadline to file legal actions seeking judicial review of final agency decisions on these authorizations, mandates expedited court reviews, and sets strict timelines for agencies to act on remanded decisions. Additionally, it treats the creation of supplemental environmental documents as separate final actions and requires agencies to inform project sponsors of any related legal actions within 30 days.

The text describes changes to laws about leasing land for oil and gas. It includes rules for how land is divided for leasing, ensures that lease terms follow management plans, and explains how fees are refunded if someone else wins the bid for a lease after interest is expressed.

The section amends the Mineral Leasing Act to state that a permit to drill is valid for a single non-renewable 4-year period from the date it is approved. This rule also applies retroactively to permits approved in the two years before the law was enacted, as well as pending applications submitted before the enactment date.

The section states that the Secretary of the Interior cannot require a permit to drill for oil and gas on non-Federal land, given certain conditions are met, such as the Federal Government owning less than 50% of the minerals in the area. It also specifies that this rule does not apply to Indian lands and ensures that other authorities and royalty obligations remain unaffected. Additionally, amendments are made to the Mineral Leasing Act to limit the Secretary's authority over non-Federal land in specific situations.

The section amends the Mineral Leasing Act to establish deadlines for the Secretary of the Interior to process requests for coal lease sales and modifications, requiring certain evaluations and decisions to be made within specific time frames. It also updates language to consistently refer to the Secretary of the Interior in various provisions and corrects a typographical error.

The section amends the Act of February 5, 1948, by stating that Indian tribes can grant rights-of-way on their land without needing approval from the Secretary of the Interior, as long as the tribe's approval process follows certain federal regulations or has its own approved regulations.

This section outlines the procedures for speeding up the permitting process for renewable energy projects on federal land. It sets specific timelines for reviewing applications, specifies what happens if additional information is needed, and establishes guidelines for low disturbance activities that could qualify for simplified environmental review.

The text outlines a national goal to produce at least 50 gigawatts of renewable energy on Federal land by 2030, with periodic revisions to this goal. It also introduces standards for reviewing renewable energy projects, clarifies existing authority for community engagement, and updates the definition of eligible projects to include storage, while ensuring existing legal limitations remain unaffected.

The bill aims to improve geothermal leasing and permitting by implementing faster decision timelines for drilling permits, establishing annual leasing, and creating a process for simultaneous project phase reviews. It also mandates the appointment of a Geothermal Ombudsman to manage permit disputes, streamline processes, and report on progress, along with authorizing cost recovery fees to cover administrative costs.

The Secretary is responsible for establishing rules and regulations as outlined in this section.

In this section, the bill explains how projects involving the electric grid can use faster environmental approval processes. It defines "previously disturbed or developed" areas and outlines that certain activities, like placing or upgrading electric facilities and developing energy storage on these lands, can get simpler environmental reviews.

The section outlines changes to the rules for hardrock mining mill sites on public land, specifying that additional mill sites can be located if necessary for mining operations but cannot exceed 5 acres each. It also establishes a fund for abandoned mines and details the allocation of fees and funds related to these sites.

The section requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct at least one offshore oil and gas lease sale every year from 2025 to 2029. Each sale must offer the same terms as a previous Gulf of Mexico lease sale and issue leases to the highest bidders within 90 days if the bids meet certain criteria.

The text outlines that starting immediately, the Secretary will be required to hold at least one lease sale for offshore wind energy every year from 2025 to 2029, with no less than 400,000 acres overall offered yearly for leasing. Additionally, the Secretary must set an initial goal for 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy production and regularly update these goals, while amendments to existing laws allow for electricity transmission rights-of-way in certain marine areas.

The section modifies several aspects of the Federal Power Act, focusing on the process for permitting and managing electric transmission projects. It outlines the roles of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other agencies, sets criteria for approving transmission projects, addresses cost allocation and benefits, and clarifies jurisdictional authority while excluding retail sales from its scope.

The document outlines amendments to the Federal Power Act, introducing requirements for the Secretary of Energy to study and report on electric transmission capacity issues, and for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to oversee joint planning between neighboring transmission regions. It highlights the importance of improving grid reliability, affordability, and resilience while ensuring fair cost allocation and customer protection in new or modified transmission projects.

The section requires the Secretary of Energy to study and report on issues with electric transmission capacity and congestion every three years, in consultation with states, Indian Tribes, and regional entities. The report can identify areas struggling with or expected to struggle with these issues, impacting consumers negatively.

The section outlines how the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will manage and coordinate planning for interregional transmission facilities to enhance reliability, affordability, and resilience of the electric grid. It requires neighboring regions to plan together, submit interregional plans for approval, and ensure fair cost allocation, with provisions for dispute resolution and deadlines for plan submission and updates.

The section amends the Federal Power Act to require the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to regularly evaluate the reliability of North America's bulk-power system. If a Federal agency's proposed rule might harm system reliability, the ERO must assess and report on its potential effects, considering input from affected organizations and mitigating measures, and then publish the report.

The section amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Commission to make a decision on applications to export or re-export natural gas within 90 days after certain conditions are met. If the Commission does not act within this timeframe, the application will automatically be approved.

Section 602 discusses the Department of Energy's process for conducting additional reviews on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in the United States. It defines key terms and specifies that before finalizing any new reviews, the Secretary of Energy must make proposed reviews available for public comment and ensure that they undergo a peer review. The reviews will focus on economic impacts and greenhouse gas emissions of LNG exports, utilizing existing studies until new assessments are completed.

The text allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time for starting construction on certain hydropower projects by an additional four years, beyond the originally authorized eight years, if requested by the project licensee. It also allows for the reinstatement of licenses that expired between December 31, 2023, and the enactment date of this law.

The Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 aims to streamline the process for energy-related activities in the U.S., including onshore and offshore energy leasing and permitting, improving coordination for renewable energy, and enhancing electric transmission planning. The act also addresses issues related to staffing and hiring at energy-related agencies and seeks to remove barriers to hydropower development.

The section outlines rules for speeding up the approval process for projects that require federal authorization, like building energy infrastructure or managing forest resources. It defines key terms, sets a 150-day deadline for legal challenges to agency decisions, mandates expedited court reviews, and ensures quick handling of any remanded agency actions, while also allowing projects to be part of the FAST Act's permitting process.

The section outlines changes to the rules surrounding onshore oil and gas leasing. It specifies that parcels of land nominated for leasing should not be broken up unless part of them is unavailable for leasing, requires lease terms to follow resource management plans, and sets up a refund process for the expression of interest fee if someone else wins the lease bid.

The amendment to Section 17(p) of the Mineral Leasing Act establishes that a permit to drill is valid for a single, non-renewable period of four years starting from its approval date. This rule also applies retroactively to all valid, unexpired permits and pending applications existing at the time the amendment takes effect.

The section states that the Secretary of the Interior cannot require a permit to drill for oil and gas on non-Federal land, given certain conditions are met, such as the Federal Government owning less than 50% of the minerals in the area. It also specifies that this rule does not apply to Indian lands and ensures that other authorities and royalty obligations remain unaffected. Additionally, amendments are made to the Mineral Leasing Act to limit the Secretary's authority over non-Federal land in specific situations.

The section amends the Mineral Leasing Act to establish deadlines for the Secretary of the Interior to process requests for coal lease sales and modifications, requiring certain evaluations and decisions to be made within specific time frames. It also updates language to consistently refer to the Secretary of the Interior in various provisions and corrects a typographical error.

The section amends the rights-of-way rules across Indian land by allowing Indian tribes to grant rights-of-way without needing approval from the Secretary of the Interior if they follow approved Tribal regulations. It outlines the process for submitting and approving these regulations, the Secretary's role in enforcing or canceling agreements, and ensures Tribal sovereignty and environmental protection while establishing criteria for compensation and compliance review.

The section gives the Secretary of the Interior the authority to grant rights-of-way for various purposes on Indian Land.

Indian tribes can grant rights-of-way across their lands without needing approval from the Secretary of the Interior if they follow Tribal regulations that the Secretary has approved. These regulations must include an environmental review process. The Secretary may review compliance and take action if regulations are violated but is generally not liable for losses related to these rights-of-way. Additionally, the Secretary can accept or enforce rights-of-way under tribal consent without affecting the tribe's sovereignty or jurisdiction.

The section details how the U.S. government aims to speed up the process for approving renewable energy projects. It mandates quicker reviews of applications, requires cost agreements if needed, and lays out specific low-impact activities that can bypass lengthy environmental reviews, as long as they meet certain conditions.

The text outlines a national goal to produce at least 50 gigawatts of renewable energy on Federal land by 2030, with periodic revisions to this goal. It also introduces standards for reviewing renewable energy projects, clarifies existing authority for community engagement, and updates the definition of eligible projects to include storage, while ensuring existing legal limitations remain unaffected.

The bill outlines several measures to enhance geothermal leasing and permitting. These include creating exclusions for preliminary activities under the National Environmental Policy Act, adjusting leasing schedules to ensure annual sales, setting deadlines for processing drilling permits, establishing rules for cost recovery from applicants, developing a federal permitting process for different project phases, ensuring geothermal projects have the same consideration as oil and gas under existing laws, and appointing a Geothermal Ombudsman to oversee and improve the permitting process.

The Secretary is responsible for establishing rules and regulations as outlined in this section.

The section outlines that specific activities related to electric grid projects are eligible for simplified environmental review procedures. These activities include installing or modifying electric facilities within designated areas, repairing existing infrastructure, and constructing energy storage systems on land that has been previously used.

The bill amends existing laws to define and regulate the use of public land for hardrock mining mill sites, setting limits on size and operational requirements, and establishes an Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund for environmental cleanup, which is funded by fees collected from mill sites. It also makes clerical amendments to existing law to ensure consistency in terminology and fee structure.

The section requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct at least one offshore oil and gas lease sale every year from 2025 to 2029. Each sale must offer the same terms as a previous Gulf of Mexico lease sale and issue leases to the highest bidders within 90 days if the bids meet certain criteria.

The section mandates the Secretary to conduct at least one offshore wind lease sale each year from 2025 to 2029, offering a minimum of 400,000 acres annually, and to establish a production goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy. It also allows for the leasing of areas within marine sanctuaries under certain conditions, and clarifies the duration of permits related to electric transmission cables.

The section updates regulations for electric transmission projects. It gives more power to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to permit and allocate costs for these projects while ensuring state input is considered. It also clarifies jurisdiction and aims to enhance energy reliability and efficiency, but it does not affect the Commission's authority over retail electricity sales.

The section describes requirements for the U.S. Secretary of Energy to conduct regular studies and issue reports on electric transmission capacity constraints and congestion, consulting with affected states and tribes. It also outlines rules for interregional transmission planning to improve grid reliability, affordability, and resilience, including mandatory planning submissions, cost allocations, and potential dispute resolutions overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The Secretary of Energy must study and report on electric transmission capacity issues and congestion every three years, consulting with states, Indian Tribes, and regional entities to identify areas with problems that affect consumers, including considerations specific to Alaska.

The section outlines rules for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to help plan and improve transmission facilities that boost electricity grid reliability and affordability. It includes requirements for joint planning between transmission regions, cost allocation rules, and a deadline for submitting plans while excluding Texas's main grid, ERCOT, from these rules.

The section amends the Federal Power Act to require the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to regularly evaluate the reliability of North America's bulk-power system. If a Federal agency's proposed rule might harm system reliability, the ERO must assess and report on its potential effects, considering input from affected organizations and mitigating measures, and then publish the report.

The section amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Commission to decide on applications related to exporting natural gas within 90 days of specific events, such as the publication of environmental review notices or the application's receipt date. If the Commission does not make a decision by the deadline, the application is automatically considered approved.

Section 602 discusses the Department of Energy's process for conducting additional reviews on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in the United States. It defines key terms and specifies that before finalizing any new reviews, the Secretary of Energy must make proposed reviews available for public comment and ensure that they undergo a peer review. The reviews will focus on economic impacts and greenhouse gas emissions of LNG exports, utilizing existing studies until new assessments are completed.

The section allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to grant a 4-year extension for the start of construction on certain hydropower projects licensed before March 13, 2020, if requested by the licensee. Additionally, it permits the Commission to reinstate and extend licenses for projects where the required start date passed between December 31, 2023, and the enactment of this law.

The section discusses efforts to identify and reduce obstacles to the development of hydropower technologies. It requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, to report on these market barriers and suggest ways to encourage and properly compensate hydropower development, and it involves public input in preparing this report.

The section requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create regulations to ensure that all licensing decisions are made within 180 days after an environmental document is published. The Commission must also report to Congress on any obstacles to meeting these deadlines, and include information on any missed deadlines in their annual report, without changing any existing legal obligations.

The bill modifies the Department of Energy Organization Act by removing a particular paragraph and renumbering another, and it also expands the required qualifications for certification by adding economics and legal studies to the list.

The section updates the Bonneville Project Act of 1937 to allow the Bonneville Power Administration to develop and regularly update a compensation plan for its employees. This plan is designed to be competitive and based on surveys of similar positions while considering education, experience, and geographic differences; it also gives the administrator the flexibility to appoint and set compensation for employees without following some civil service laws.

The section outlines how the administrator is responsible for developing and updating a compensation plan for employees, including factors such as industry standards and recruitment needs, while also permitting the hiring of staff, laborers, and experts without adhering to usual civil service rules. It specifies that the plan needs to be reviewed and published annually, and allows the hiring of physicians to examine certain employees.

The section amends the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act by requiring adjustments for inflation starting from the enactment date of the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024.

The section allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to give its employees permission to act as law enforcement officers if needed to protect the safety of its Chairman and Commissioners while they are doing their official work.