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Union Calendar No. 166 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2170 

[Report No. 112–250] 

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 

OCTOBER 14, 2011 

Additional sponsors: Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. LANDRY, Mr. DUNCAN of South 

Carolina, Mr. SOUTHERLAND, Mr. FLORES, Mr. LABRADOR, and Mrs. 

MCMORRIS RODGERS

OCTOBER 14, 2011 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 14, 2011] 

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•HR 2170 RH

A BILL 

Streamlining Federal review to facilitate renewable energy 

projects. 

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•HR 2170 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cutting Federal Red 

5 Tape to Facilitate Renewable Energy Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR RENEWABLE EN7 ERGY PROJECTS. 

8 (a) COMPLIANCE WITH NEPA FOR RENEWABLE EN9 ERGY PROJECTS.—In complying with the National Envi10 ronmental Policy Act of 1969 (41 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with 

11 respect to any action authorizing or facilitating a proposed 

12 renewable energy project, at the election of the applicant 

13 a Federal agency shall— 

14 (1) consider only the proposed action and the no 

15 action alternative; 

16 (2) analyze only the proposed action and the no 

17 action alternative; and 

18 (3) identify and analyze potential mitigation 

19 measures only for the proposed action and the no ac20 tion alternative. 

21 (b) PUBLIC COMMENT.—In complying with the Na22 tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 with respect to 

23 a proposed renewable energy project, a Federal agency shall 

24 only consider public comments that specifically address the 

25 proposed action or the no action alternative (or both) and 

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•HR 2170 RH

1 are filed within 30 days after publication of a draft envi2 ronmental assessment or draft environmental impact state3 ment. 

4 (c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 

5 (1) FEDERAL WATERS.—The term ‘‘Federal 

6 waters’’ means waters seaward of the coastal zone (as 

7 that term is defined in section 304 of the Coastal 

8 Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453)), to 

9 the limits of the exclusive economic zone or the Outer 

10 Continental Shelf, whichever is farther. 

11 (2) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF.—The term 

12 ‘‘Outer Continental Shelf’’ has the meaning the term 

13 ‘‘outer Continental Shelf’’ has in the Outer Conti14 nental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.). 

15 (3) RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT.—The term 

16 ‘‘renewable energy project’’ means a project on Fed17 eral lands or in Federal waters, including a project 

18 on the Outer Continental Shelf, using wind, solar 

19 power, geothermal power, biomass, or marine and 

20 hydrokinetic energy to generate energy, that is con21 structed encouraging the use of equipment and mate22 rials manufactured in the United States. 

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mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

Union Calendar No. 166 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2170 

[Report No. 112–250] 

A BILL 

Streamlining Federal review to facilitate renewable 

energy projects. 

OCTOBER 14, 2011 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS