,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #djbg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ba1 #bjbd,mr4 ,hickenlooper introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,federal ,power ,act to authorize the ,federal ,energy ,regulatory ,commission to issue permits for the construction and modification of national interest high-impact transmission facilities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,streamlining ,powerlines ,essential to ,electric ,demand and ,reliability ,act of #bjbd or the ,,speed and ,reliability ,act of #bjbd4 #b4 ,siting of national interest high-impact transmission facilities 7a7 ,in general ,section #baf of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7l7 ,siting of national interest high-,impact transmission facilities 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,bulk-power system ,the term bulk-power system has the meaning given the term in section #bae7;a74 7,b7 ,local authority ,the term local authority means a unit of local government1 including a county1 a municipality1 a city1 a town1 a township1 and any other political subdivision created by or pursuant to ,state law4 7,c7 ,national interest high-impact transmission facility ,the term national interest high-impact transmission facility means a transmission facility designated as a national interest high-impact transmission facility under paragraph 7#b74 7,d7 ,outer continental shelf ,the term outer ,continental ,shelf has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,outer ,continental ,shelf ,lands ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #acca74 7,e7 ,project sponsor ,the term project sponsor means an entity seeking to construct1 own1 or operate a national interest high-impact transmission facility4 7,f7 ,project ,state ,the term project ,state means a ,state in which there is located or is proposed to be located any portion of a transmission facility designated or sought to be designated as a national interest high-impact transmission facility4 7,g7 ,reliability standard ,the term reliability standard has the meaning given the term in section #bae7;a74 7#b7 ,designation of national interest high-impact transmission facilities 7,a7 ,in general ,a project sponsor or project ,state may submit to the ,secretary an application to designate a transmission facility as a national interest high-impact transmission facility for purposes of paragraph 7#c74 7,b7 ,contents of applications ,an application submitted under subparagraph 7,a7 shall provide information on-- 7i7 a specific geographic area that is experiencing1 or is expected to experience1 electric energy transmission capacity constraints or congestion that adversely affects consumers2 7ii7 how the proposed transmission facility would alleviate the electric energy transmission capacity constraints or congestion described in clause 7i72 7iii7 the boundary of the proposed transmission facility and the rationale for that boundary2 7iv7 the voltage1 transmission capacity1 and route of the proposed transmission facility2 7v7 how the proposed transmission facility is expected to affect costs to consumers to purchase electricity2 and 7vi7 any other matter that the ,secretary determines necessary to carry out subparagraph 7,c71 including by providing any data that the ,secretary determines necessary to carry out that subparagraph4 7,c7 ,deadline ,not later than #ij days after receiving a complete application under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary1 after consultation with affected ,states1 local authorities1 and ,indian ,tribes1 shall approve the application and designate the applicable transmission facility as a national interest high-impact transmission facility if the ,secretary determines that-- 7i7 the proposed transmission facility-- 7,i7 is1 or will be1 in the national interest1 based on the criteria otherwise applicable to a national interest electric transmission corridor under subsection 7a77#d72 7,,ii7 is1 or will be after construction or modification1 capable of transmitting electricity at a voltage of not less than #cde kilovolts2 7,,iii7 7aa7 adds not less than #gej megawatts of new transmission capacity within a single linear path or right-of-way2 or 7bb7 would increase the existing transmission capacity within a single linear path or right-of-way by not less than #gej megawatts2 7,,iv7 the proposed transmission facility crosses or will cross-- 7aa7 the exterior boundary of not fewer than #b ,states2 or 7bb7 the exterior boundary of at least #a ,state and the outer ,continental ,shelf2 and 7,v7 provides1 or will provide after construction or modification1 for the reliable operation of the bulk-power system1 including through compliance with any applicable reliability standard approved by the ,commission under section #bae7;d72 and 7ii7 the project sponsor has met milestones1 established by the ,secretary under subparagraph 7,e71 that demonstrate that the project sponsor is capable of completing the construction or modification of the proposed transmission facility4 7,d7 ,applicability of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi ,the designation of a transmission facility as a national interest high-impact transmission facility under this paragraph shall not be considered a major ,federal action under section #ajb7b77;,c7 of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77;,c774 7,e7 ,rulemaking 7i7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall promulgate a regulation establishing a process to evaluate applications submitted under subparagraph 7,a71 which shall include establishing milestones for purposes of subparagraph 7,c77ii74 7ii7 ,milestones ,in carrying out clause 7i71 the ,secretary may establish milestones that are indicative of the realistic ability of a project sponsor to complete the development process with respect to a transmission project and make the applicable transmission facility operational1 such as development of a construction plan1 the making of investment decisions1 and other milestones that1 in the determination of the ,secretary1 are pertinent to the ability of a project sponsor to successfully make the applicable facility operational4 7#c7 ,construction permits for national interest high-impact transmission facilities 7,a7 ,permit applications 7i7 ,in general ,a project sponsor1 or a project ,state on behalf of a project sponsor1 may submit to the ,commission an application for a permit to construct or modify a national interest high-impact transmission facility4 7ii7 ,form ,permit applications submitted under clause 7i7 shall be made in writing to the ,commission4 7iii7 ,rulemaking ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,commission shall promulgate regulations specifying-- 7,i7 the form of1 and information to be included in1 an application submitted under clause 7i72 and 7,,ii7 the manner of service of notice of the application on interested persons4 7,b7 ,preapplication discussions2 commission proceedings ,with respect to an application submitted under subparagraph 7,a77i71 the ,commission may carry out preapplication discussions with the project sponsor 7and #a or more project ,states1 as applicable7 and initiate a ,commission proceeding for purposes of subparagraph 7,c7 at the same time that any ,state commission or other entity that has authority to approve the siting of the applicable transmission facility considers an application for a permit to construct or modify the transmission facility pursuant to applicable law4 7,c7 ,construction permit ,except as provided in subsection 7i71 the ,commission may1 after notice and an opportunity for a hearing on an application submitted under subparagraph 7,a77i71 issue a permit for the construction or modification of the national interest high-impact transmission facility that is the subject of the application if the ,commission finds that subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c7 of subsection 7b77#a7 is satisfied with respect to the national interest high-impact transmission facility4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,siting of interstate electric transmission facilities ,section #baf of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7d71 by inserting or 7l77#c77;,c7 after subsection 7b72 7,b7 in subsection 7e77#a7-- 7i7 by inserting or 7l77#c77;,c7 after subsection 7b72 and 7ii7 by striking or a ,state2 and 7,c7 in subsection 7i77#c71 by inserting any national interest high-impact transmission facilities designated under subsection 7l77#b7 and any after including4 7#b7 ,transmission facility financing ,section #ejaea7;b7 of ,public ,law #aag-afi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahgae7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking facilities designated by the ,secretary to be necessary in the national interest under section #baf7;a7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp7a774 and inserting the following3 8facilities-- 7#a7 located in an area designated as a national interest electric transmission corridor pursuant to subsection 7a7 of section #baf of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp72 or 7#b7 designated by the ,secretary as national interest high-impact transmission facilities under subsection 7l77#b7 of that section4 4 7#c7 ,public-private partnerships ,section #djajf7;h77#a7 of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahgac7;h77#a77 is amended-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 by striking #af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp7a7 and inserting 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp7a772 and 7ii7 by striking or at the end2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting or after the semicolon at the end2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 is a national interest high-impact transmission facility designated under subsection 7l77#b7 of section #baf of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbdp72 4