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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7405 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
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 Representatives 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 Congress that
transportation rights-of-way, including highway 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 accelerate the
development of high-voltage transmission infrastructure by identifying
opportunities to co-locate such projects within existing transportation
rights-of-way, with the goal of alleviating energy capacity constraints
and delivering 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 consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
and each director of a National 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-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
challenge was addressed;
(2) based on the results of the review under paragraph (1),
determine best practices with respect to the planning,
permitting, financing, and developing of high-voltage electric
transmission infrastructure 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 transmission lines considering--
(A) with respect to the geographic region of each
covered right-of-way evaluated, the need for
transmission infrastructure to alleviate energy
transmission capacity constraints or congestion in the
geographic region;
(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 configuration,
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;
(C) determine the costs and benefits of
constructing high-voltage transmission infrastructure
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
transmission 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, including
owners of property abutting the right-of-way or
otherwise implicated by the construction; and
(E) analyze how, if at all, the construction of
high-voltage transmission infrastructure on the covered
right-of-way is likely to support improvements in grid
reliability, streamline the interconnection queue,
increase energy transmission capacity, contribute to
reduced energy costs for energy consumers, and improve
highway or rail safety and efficiency;
(6) evaluate the effects, if any, of constructing and
operating high-voltage transmission lines on covered rights-of-
way on the environment, railroad operations, and communities
near the right-of-way, including--
(A) electromagnetic interference with rail safety,
rail signaling equipment, and rail communication
equipment; and
(B) the potential for safety or operational
interference while performing maintenance,
rehabilitation work, or expansion of transportation
infrastructure on covered rights-of-way;
(7) develop--
(A) an interagency action plan with respect to the
construction and operation of high-voltage 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--
(i) Federal, State, and local governmental
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 elements.--As soon as is
practicable after each element of the study described in
subsection (b) is complete, 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--
(A) shall be published on a publicly accessible
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 ``covered 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 System'' have the meanings
given such terms, respectively, in section 101 of title 23,
United States Code.
(3) National laboratory.--The term ``National 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.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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