I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7405 
To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on using highway 
rights-of-way and rail rights-of-way as locations on which to construct 
high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 5, 2026 
Mr. MULLIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on 
using highway rights-of-way and rail rights-of-way as 
locations on which to construct high-voltage transmission 
infrastructure, and for other purposes. 
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 as the ‘‘Rail and Highway 
Transmission Planning Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that transportation rights-of-way, including highway 
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and rail rights-of-way, should be utilized in ways that 
serve the public interest, including accommodating new 
electric transmission infrastructure. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to accel-
erate the development of high-voltage transmission infra-
structure by identifying opportunities to co-locate such 
projects within existing transportation rights-of-way, with 
the goal of alleviating energy capacity constraints and de-
livering more affordable, reliable electricity for consumers. 
SEC. 3. STUDY ON PLACING HIGH-VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION 
INFRASTRUCTURE ON RAIL AND HIGHWAY 
RIGHTS-OF-WAYS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Energy, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal En-
ergy Regulatory Commission, and each director of a Na-
tional Laboratory determined relevant by the Secretary of 
Energy, shall conduct a study evaluating the potential 
benefits and challenges of using covered rights-of-way as 
locations on which to construct high-voltage transmission 
infrastructure. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—In carrying out the study under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall— 
(1) conduct a review of projects completed or 
being carried out to develop high-voltage electric 
transmission infrastructure on a covered right-of- 
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way in the United States, including an assessment 
of any challenges with respect to safety, engineering, 
property rights, or other matters encountered while 
carrying out such projects and how each such chal-
lenge was addressed; 
(2) based on the results of the review under 
paragraph (1), determine best practices with respect 
to the planning, permitting, financing, and devel-
oping of high-voltage electric transmission infra-
structure on a covered right-of-way; 
(3) generate, or consolidate from available 
sources, data on covered rights-of-way to evaluate 
the technical feasibility of building high-voltage 
transmission lines on each such covered right-of-way; 
(4) using data generated or consolidated under 
paragraph (3), identify each covered right-of-way 
suitable for the construction of high-voltage trans-
mission lines considering— 
(A) with respect to the geographic region 
of each covered right-of-way evaluated, the need 
for transmission infrastructure to alleviate en-
ergy transmission capacity constraints or con-
gestion in the geographic region; 
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(B) the technical feasibility of building 
high-voltage transmission lines on each such 
covered right-of-way; and 
(C) any other considerations determined 
appropriate by the Secretary; 
(5) with respect to each covered right-of-way 
identified under paragraph (4)— 
(A) evaluate the suitability of various high- 
voltage transmission configurations, accounting 
for the infrastructure needs of each such con-
figuration, including— 
(i) high-voltage alternating current; 
(ii) high-voltage direct current; 
(iii) point-to-point high-voltage direct 
current; 
(iv) multi-terminal bi-directional high- 
voltage direct current systems; 
(v) overhead lines; 
(vi) underground lines; and 
(vii) any other relevant configuration, 
as determined by the Secretary; 
(B) identify and examine any potential 
challenges unique to transmission development 
in the covered right-of-way; 
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(C) determine the costs and benefits of 
constructing high-voltage transmission infra-
structure in the covered right-of-way, including 
any cost or time savings expected to be realized 
with respect to land acquisition or obtaining 
any requisite permits, and compare such costs 
and benefits to the average costs and benefits 
of constructing similar high-voltage trans-
mission infrastructure on lands that are not a 
covered right-of-way; 
(D) identify— 
(i) any potential funding mechanisms 
and financing opportunities available for 
entities to use for the construction of high- 
voltage transmission infrastructure on the 
right-of-way; and 
(ii) any potential financial benefits for 
stakeholders in such construction, includ-
ing owners of property abutting the right- 
of-way or otherwise implicated by the con-
struction; and 
(E) analyze how, if at all, the construction 
of high-voltage transmission infrastructure on 
the covered right-of-way is likely to support im-
provements in grid reliability, streamline the 
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interconnection queue, increase energy trans-
mission capacity, contribute to reduced energy 
costs for energy consumers, and improve high-
way or rail safety and efficiency; 
(6) evaluate the effects, if any, of constructing 
and operating high-voltage transmission lines on cov-
ered rights-of-way on the environment, railroad oper-
ations, and communities near the right-of-way, in-
cluding— 
(A) electromagnetic interference with rail 
safety, rail signaling equipment, and rail com-
munication equipment; and 
(B) the potential for safety or operational 
interference while performing maintenance, re-
habilitation work, or expansion of transpor-
tation infrastructure on covered rights-of-way; 
(7) develop— 
(A) an interagency action plan with respect 
to the construction and operation of high-volt-
age transmission lines on covered rights-of-way; 
and 
(B) for use facilitating the construction of 
high-voltage transmission infrastructure on a 
covered right-of-way, resources for use by— 
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(i) Federal, State, and local govern-
mental agencies; and 
(ii) utilities, railroad carriers, and 
other relevant stakeholders, as identified 
by the Secretary; and 
(8) consult utilities, railroad carriers, and any 
relevant stakeholders, as identified by the Secretary. 
(c) PUBLICATION.— 
(1) ROLLING
PUBLICATION
OF
STUDY
ELE-
MENTS.—As soon as is practicable after each ele-
ment of the study described in subsection (b) is com-
plete, the Secretary shall publish the results of the 
element and any data developed or consolidated in 
the completion of the element. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 
(A) submit to Congress a report detailing 
the results of the study under subsection (a), 
including all data underpinning such results, 
which shall be presented in a machine-readable 
format; and 
(B) publish such report and such data. 
(3) FORM.—All information, data, and reports 
published pursuant to this subsection— 
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(A) shall be published on a publicly acces-
sible website of the Department of Energy; and 
(B) may be published with redactions of 
any data the publication of which the Secretary 
determine poses a national security risk. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED RIGHT-OF-WAY.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered right-of-way’’ means— 
(A) a highway right-of-way, including a 
right-of-way of a State highway and a right-of- 
way of the National Highway System; or 
(B) a rail right-of-way, including a right- 
of-way of an abandoned railroad. 
(2) HIGHWAY; NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM.— 
The terms ‘‘highway’’ and ‘‘National Highway Sys-
tem’’ have the meanings given such terms, respec-
tively, in section 101 of title 23, United States Code. 
(3) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Laboratory’’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801). 
(4) RAILROAD CARRIER.—The term ‘‘railroad 
carrier’’ has the meaning given such term in section 
20102 of title 49, United States Code. 
Æ 
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