The Co-Location Energy Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to allow renewable energy projects—specifically solar and wind facilities—to be built on the same federal lands currently leased for oil, gas, coal, and geothermal extraction. The bill allows the Interior Department to permit both the evaluation of these existing leased areas for renewable potential and the actual construction and operation of solar and wind systems on them, without requiring separate land areas. Importantly, the existing leaseholder must consent before the government can authorize any renewable energy development on their leased land. The bill requires the Interior Department to complete a review within 180 days to determine which renewable energy actions might qualify for streamlined environmental review under federal law, and it mandates that the department issue regulations to implement these co-location provisions. This legislation affects oil, gas, coal, and geothermal companies holding federal leases, as well as renewable energy developers seeking to access these already-leased public lands.
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