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# Summary of S. 4795 — FREEDOM Act The FREEDOM Act streamlines the federal permitting process for energy and mining projects by establishing strict timelines and judicial remedies for project delays. Project sponsors must submit a notice of initiation to relevant agencies, which then have 90 days to approve routine authorizations and one year to approve complex authorizations (such as those requiring environmental impact statements). If agencies miss these deadlines, project sponsors can sue, and courts can appoint private contractors at government expense to complete necessary environmental reviews and documentation. The bill also protects "fully permitted projects"—those with most required approvals—from being halted or having permits revoked unless there is clear, immediate harm or the authorization violates federal law. It funds these efforts through a $50 million Permitting Performance Fund. Additionally, the legislation clarifies mining regulations by allowing operators to claim multiple mill sites for waste disposal, establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman position to streamline geothermal leasing approvals, and modifies geothermal royalty rates, setting them at 1 to 2.5 percent of electricity sales for the first ten years of operation and 2 to 5 percent thereafter. The bill applies to new permit applications submitted 90 days after enactment and to pending projects within 120 days.

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