The Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on placing high-voltage electricity transmission lines along existing highway and railroad rights-of-way to speed up infrastructure development. The study, which must be completed within three years and involve the Departments of Transportation and Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and national laboratories, will examine completed projects, identify best practices, assess technical feasibility, evaluate different transmission technologies, and analyze costs, benefits, and environmental impacts of co-locating transmission infrastructure with transportation corridors. The findings will help determine which highway and rail routes are suitable for transmission development and could deliver savings in land acquisition and permitting while improving grid reliability and reducing energy costs for consumers. Results will be published incrementally online and in a final report to Congress, with all data made available in machine-readable format to help utilities, railroads, and government agencies plan future transmission projects. This bill aims to streamline the often-lengthy process of building new transmission infrastructure by leveraging existing public rights-of-way rather than requiring separate land acquisition.
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