Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024

Summary · Congressional Research Service (nonpartisan)

This bill generally reduces restrictions on the federal permitting process for mineral and energy projects. The bill revises the judicial review process for these projects, including by setting a 150-day deadline for filing civil actions seeking judicial review of a federal agency decision to grant or deny authorization of energy or mineral projects. The bill establishes deadlines for acting on applications for various energy and mineral projects. For example, the bill sets deadlines for the review of (1) federal coal lease applications, and (2) right-of-way applications with respect to renewable energy projects on public land. From 2025 to 2029, the Department of the Interior must hold at least one offshore wind lease sale and at least one offshore oil and gas lease sale per year. The bill also revises electric transmission requirements, including by (1) expanding the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC's) authority to include issuing a permit for the construction or modification of certain types of interstate electricity infrastructure without a specified Department of Energy (DOE) designation, and (2) requiring the assessment of the reliability impacts of certain proposed federal regulations. The bill also sets a deadline for DOE to approve or deny certain liquefied natural gas export applications. If DOE does not meet the deadline, applications will be deemed approved. The bill authorizes FERC to extend the deadline for beginning construction for certain hydropower projects that were licensed by FERC.