IB 
Union Calendar No. 200 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2172 
[Report No. 112–300, Part I] 
To facilitate the development of wind energy resources on Federal lands. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 14, 2011 
Mrs. NOEM (for herself, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. 
BROUN of Georgia, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, and Mr. WITTMAN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
DECEMBER 1, 2011 
Additional sponsors: Mr. LANDRY, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. DUNCAN of South 
Carolina, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. FLORES, and Mr. SOUTHERLAND 
DECEMBER 1, 2011 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
DECEMBER 1, 2011 
The Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 14, 2011] 
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A BILL 
To facilitate the development of wind energy resources on 
Federal lands. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited at the ‘‘Utilizing America’s Fed-
eral Lands for Wind Energy Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ONSHORE METEOROLOGICAL SITE TESTING AND 
MONITORING PROJECT. 
(a) DEFINITION OF METEOROLOGICAL SITE TESTING 
AND MONITORING PROJECT.—In this section, the term ‘‘me-
teorological site testing and monitoring project’’ means a 
project carried out on land administered by the Bureau of 
Land Management or the Forest Service to test or monitor 
weather (including wind and solar energy) using towers or 
other devices, that— 
(1) causes— 
(A) less than 1 acre of soil or vegetation dis-
ruption at the location of each meteorological 
tower or other device; and 
(B) not more than 5 acres of soil or disrup-
tion within the proposed right-of-way for the 
project; 
(2) is installed— 
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, 
using existing access roads; 
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(B) in a manner that does not require off- 
road motorized access other than 1 installation 
activity and 1 decommissioning activity along 
an identified off-road route approved by the Di-
rector of the Bureau of Land Management or 
Chief of the Forest Service; 
(C) without construction of new roads other 
than upgrading of existing minor drainage 
crossings for safety purposes; and 
(D) without the use of digging or drilling 
equipment vehicles other than rubber-tired vehi-
cles with gross weight ratings under 8,500 
pounds; 
(3) is decommissioned not more than 5 years 
after the date of commencement of the project, includ-
ing— 
(A) removal of any towers, devices, or other 
surface infrastructure from the site; and 
(B) restoration of the site to approximately 
the condition that existed at the time the project 
began; and 
(4) provides meteorological information obtained 
by the permitted project to the Bureau of Land Man-
agement and the Forest Service. 
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(b) NEPA EXCLUSION.—Section 102(2)(C) of the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)) shall not apply with respect to a meteorological 
site testing and monitoring project. 
(c) PERMIT TIMELINE AND CONDITIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Bureau of 
Land Management or Chief of the Forest Service, as 
applicable, shall decide whether to issue a permit for 
a project that is a meteorological site testing and 
monitoring project within 30 days after receiving an 
application for the permit. 
(2) PUBLIC
COMMENT
AND
CONSULTATION.— 
During the period referred to in paragraph (1), the 
Director of the Bureau of Land Management or the 
Chief of the Forest Service, as applicable, shall— 
(A) provide an opportunity for submission 
of comments by the public; and 
(B) consult with the heads of other Federal, 
State, and local agencies that would be affected 
by the issuance of the permit. 
(3) DENIAL OF APPLICATION.—If the application 
is denied, the Director or Chief, respectively, shall 
provide the applicant— 
(A) in writing, clear and comprehensive 
reasons why the application was not approved 
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and detailed information concerning any defi-
ciencies, and 
(B) an opportunity to remedy any defi-
ciencies. 
(d) PROTECTION OF INFORMATION.—The information 
provided to the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest 
Service pursuant to subsection (a)(4) shall be treated by 
such agency as proprietary information and protected 
against disclosure. 
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Union Calendar No. 200 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2172 
[Report No. 112–300, Part I] 
A BILL 
To facilitate the development of wind energy 
resources on Federal lands. 
DECEMBER 1, 2011 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with 
an amendment 
DECEMBER 1, 2011 
The Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to 
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union and ordered to be printed 
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