Smart Transmission Line Placement Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10989 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10989

To amend the Federal Power Act to provide that activities to maintain or increase the capacity of the electric grid within certain areas are a category of actions designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 10, 2026

Mr. Vindman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

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A BILL

To amend the Federal Power Act to provide that activities to maintain or increase the capacity of the electric grid within certain areas are a category of actions designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Transmission Line Placement Act''.

SEC. 2. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR RECONDUCTORING.

The Federal Power Act is amended by inserting after section 216 (16 U.S.C. 824p) the following:

``SEC. 216A. GRID CAPACITY EXPANSION IN EXISTING RIGHTS-OF-WAY.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Applicable electrical standard.--The term `applicable electrical standard' includes-- ``(A) a reliability standard (as defined in section 215(a)); and ``(B) an applicable standard of the National Electrical Safety Code published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association. ``(2) Covered area.--The term `covered area' means an area-- ``(A) within an existing right-of-way; or ``(B) within the minimum additional area adjacent to an existing right-of-way that is necessary-- ``(i) to comply with applicable electrical standards; or ``(ii) to complete an activity described in subsection (b). ``(3) Covered facility.--The term `covered facility' means an existing electric transmission or distribution facility or associated infrastructure (including an electrical substation) that is located within a covered area. ``(b) Exemptions.-- ``(1) In general.--Activities to maintain or increase the capacity of the electric grid within a covered area, and any Federal agency action authorizing such activities-- ``(A) are a category of actions designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and ``(B) shall not be considered to be-- ``(i) a major Federal action for purposes of that Act; or ``(ii) an undertaking for purposes of section 306108 of title 54, United States Code. ``(2) Inclusions.--The activities described in paragraph (1) include-- ``(A) any repair, maintenance, replacement, upgrade, rebuilding, modification, optimization, minor relocation of, or addition to, a covered facility, including-- ``(i) reconductoring; ``(ii) an increase in operating voltage; ``(iii) a circuit addition or adjustment; and ``(iv) installation of advanced transmission technologies (as defined in section 1223(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16422(a))); ``(B) any minimum widening of an existing right-of- way associated with an activity described in subparagraph (A) that-- ``(i) is necessary to comply with applicable electrical standards; or ``(ii) remains within a covered area; ``(C) an addition of energy storage at or near a covered facility; and ``(D) the addition of a parallel circuit within an existing right-of-way.''.

SEC. 3. ELECTRIC GRID PROJECTS.

(a) Definition of Previously Disturbed or Developed.--In this section, the term ``previously disturbed or developed'' has the meaning given the term in section 1021.410(g)(1) of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations). (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, to facilitate timely permitting, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall each develop or adopt 1 or more categorical exclusions, including allowing for extraordinary circumstances under which the categorical exclusion shall not be available, under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) for the following activities: (1) Placement of an electric transmission or distribution facility in an approved right-of-way corridor, including a corridor designated under section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15926). (2) Any repair, maintenance, replacement, upgrade, modification, optimization, or minor relocation of, or addition to, an existing electric transmission or distribution facility or associated infrastructure, including electrical substations, within an existing right-of-way or on otherwise previously disturbed or developed land, including reconductoring and installation of grid-enhancing technologies. (3) Construction, operation, upgrade, or decommissioning of a battery or other energy storage technology on previously disturbed or developed land. <all>