I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3482 
To make renewable energy production a priority on certain public lands 
for the purpose of responsibly producing clean, affordable power for 
the American people. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2009 
Mr. HELLER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To make renewable energy production a priority on certain 
public lands for the purpose of responsibly producing 
clean, affordable power for the American people. 
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 ‘‘Renewable Energy De-
velopment Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEVELOPING RENEWABLE ENERGY ON FEDERAL 
LANDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 
carry out in accordance with this section a program for 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
the leasing of Federal lands for the advancement, develop-
ment, assessment, installation, and operation of commer-
cial renewable solar, wind, and geothermal energy systems. 
(b) IDENTIFICATION OF LANDS FOR LEASING.— 
(1) LANDS SELECTION.—The Secretary of the 
Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management and in consultation with the 
Secretary of Energy, shall— 
(A) identify lease sites comprising a total 
of 6,400,000 acres of Federal lands under the 
jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management 
in the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, 
Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, 
Utah, Washington, and Wyoming that are suit-
able and feasible for the installation and oper-
ation of solar, wind, or geothermal energy sys-
tems, subject to valid existing rights; and 
(B) incorporate renewable energy develop-
ment into the relevant agency land use and re-
source management plans or equivalent plans 
for the lands identified under subparagraph 
(A). 
(2) MINIMUM
AND
MAXIMUM
ACREAGE
OF 
SITES.—Each individual lease site identified under 
paragraph (1)(A), other than under a lease for a 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
geothermal energy system, shall be a minimum of 
1,280 acres and shall not exceed 12,800 acres. 
(3) LANDS RELEASED FOR LEASING.—The Sec-
retary shall release for leasing under this section 
lease sites identified under paragraph (1), in acre-
ages that meet the following annual milestones: 
(A) By 2010, 79,012 acres. 
(B) By 2011, 316,049 acres. 
(C) By 2012, 711,111 acres. 
(D) By 2013, 1,300,000 acres. 
(E) By 2014, 2,000,000 acres. 
(F) By 2015, 2,800,000 acres. 
(G) By 2016, 3,700,000 acres. 
(H) By 2017, 4,650,000 acres. 
(I) By 2018, 5,800,000 acres. 
(J) By 2019, 6,400,000 acres. 
(4) LANDS
NOT
INCLUDED.—The following 
Federal lands shall not be included within a renew-
able energy lands leasing program under this Act: 
(A) Components of the National Land-
scape Conservation System. 
(B) Wilderness and Wilderness Study 
Areas. 
(C) Wild and Scenic Rivers. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(D) Federally designated National Scenic 
and Historic Trails. 
(E) Monuments. 
(F) Resource Natural Areas. 
(G) Lands requested by Governor of State 
to be removed from consideration for renewable 
energy development. 
(c) COMPETITIVE
LEASE
SALE
REQUIREMENTS 
LEASING PROCEDURES.— 
(1) NOMINATIONS.—The Secretary shall accept 
at any time nominations of land identified under 
subsection (b) for leasing under this Act, from any 
qualified person. 
(2) COMPETITIVE LEASE SALE REQUIRED.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Except as otherwise 
specifically provided by this Act, all land to be 
leased under this Act that is not subject to leas-
ing under paragraph (3) shall be leased to the 
highest responsible qualified bidder, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(B) ANNUAL SALES REQUIRED.—The Sec-
retary shall hold a competitive lease sale under 
this Act at least once every year for land in a 
State with respect to which there is a nomina-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
tion pending under paragraph (1) of land other-
wise available for leasing. 
(3) NONCOMPETITIVE LEASING.—The Secretary 
shall make available for a period of 2 years for non-
competitive leasing any tract for which a competitive 
lease sale is held under paragraph (2), but for which 
the Secretary does not receive any bids in such sale. 
(4) PENDING
LEASE
APPLICATIONS.—It shall 
be a priority for the Secretary to ensure timely com-
pletion of administrative actions and process applica-
tions for leasing of Federal lands described in sub-
section (b)(1)(A) for installation and operation of re-
newable energy systems, that are pending on the 
date of enactment of this subsection. 
(d) LEASING TIME PERIOD.—Any lease of lands 
under this section shall be effective for a period of 30 
years, with an option to renew once for an additional pe-
riod of 30 years. 
SEC. 3. PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATE-
MENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, in accordance with sec-
tion 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall complete a programmatic environmental impact 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
statement for the renewable energy leasing program under 
section 2. 
(b) FINAL REGULATION.—Not later than 6 months 
after the completion of the programmatic environmental 
impact statement under this section, the Secretary shall 
publish a final regulation implementing this section. 
SEC. 4. DEPOSIT AND USE OF GEOTHERMAL LEASE REVE-
NUES. 
Section 234 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15873) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘FOR 5 
FISCAL YEARS’’; and 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘in the first 
5 fiscal years beginning after the date of enactment 
of this Act’’. 
SEC. 5. STUDY. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall complete 
a study of— 
(1) barriers to additional access to Federal 
lands for transmission of energy produced under 
leases awarded under the renewable energy leasing 
program under this Act; and 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(2) the need for energy transmission corridors 
on public lands to address identified congestion or 
constraints. 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:15 Aug 04, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3482.IH
H3482
tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS