Bill
HR 7405
Evaluates feasibility and benefits of placing high‑voltage transmission on highway and rail rights‑of‑way to speed deployment, cut costs, and improve grid reliability.
Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act (H.R. 7405, 118th? 119th Congress) – Summary
Overview
- Purpose: Direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a formal study evaluating the feasibility, benefits, and challenges of locating high-voltage transmission infrastructure on transportation rights-of-way (specifically highway and rail corridors). The aim is to accelerate transmission deployment, alleviate energy capacity constraints, and deliver more affordable, reliable electricity.
- Short title: Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act.
Key Provisions
1) Sense of Congress and Purpose (Section 2)
- Sense: Transportation rights-of-way should be used in the public interest to accommodate new electric transmission infrastructure.
- Objective: Identify opportunities to co-locate high-voltage transmission projects within existing highway and rail rights-of-way to improve grid reliability and energy access.
2) Study on Placing High-Voltage Transmission Infrastructure on Rail and Highway Rights-of-Ways (Section 3)
- Lead agency: Secretary of Energy, in consultation with:
- Secretary of Transportation
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- Directors of National Laboratories determined by the Secretary of Energy
- Scope: Evaluate potential benefits and challenges of using covered rights-of-way for high-voltage transmission infrastructure.
- Specific study elements:
1) Review of projects already completed or underway to develop transmission on covered rights-of-way; assess safety, engineering, property rights, and other challenges and how they were addressed.
2) Develop best practices for planning, permitting, financing, and developing transmission on covered rights-of-way.
3) Compile data on covered rights-of-way to assess technical feasibility for building high-voltage lines on each right-of-way.
4) Identify which covered rights-of-way are suitable, considering region-specific transmission needs, technical feasibility, and other factors.
5) For each suitable right-of-way, evaluate:
- Transmission configurations (HVAC, HVDC, point-to-point HVDC, multi-terminal VSC-HVDC, overhead vs. underground)
- Any unique challenges in the right-of-way
- Costs and benefits, including land acquisition, permitting, and a comparison to non-right-of-way projects
- Potential funding mechanisms and financial benefits for stakeholders (e.g., abutting property owners)
- How project construction could support grid reliability, interconnection queue improvements, capacity, energy costs, and safety/ efficiency
6) Assess environmental, railroad operations, and community effects, including electromagnetic interference with rail safety/signaling and maintenance impacts.
7) Develop an interagency action plan for construction and operation of transmission on covered rights-of-way and create resource directories for:
- Federal, state, local agencies
- Utilities, railroad carriers, and other stakeholders
8) Consult with utilities, railroad carriers, and other identified stakeholders.
3) Publication and Reporting (Section 3, Public Availability)
- Publication cadence: Results of study elements published publicly as each element is completed.
- Final report: Due within 3 years after enactment; includes machine-readable data and full publication, on a DOE website with possible redactions for national security as needed.
Definitions (Section 4)
- Covered right-of-way: Highway rights-of-way (including State highways and the National Highway System) or rail rights-of-way (including abandoned rail corridors).
- Other key terms: Highway/National Highway System, National Laboratory, and Railroad Carrier as defined in respective U.S. law.
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- A three-year reporting window from enactment to deliver the final comprehensive report and data.
- Interim publication of study elements as each is completed.
- Data and results to be posted on a public DOE website, with possible redaction for national security.
Potential Impact and Implications
- Could identify practical pathways to speed up transmission deployment by using existing rights-of-way, potentially reducing land acquisition needs and permitting timelines.
- May influence future policy, permitting processes, and funding mechanisms related to cross-sector infrastructure projects.
- Implications for rail operations and highway safety due to electromagnetic interference or maintenance coordination; requires interagency collaboration and stakeholder consultation.
- Beneficiaries potentially include electric utilities, rail/road agencies, regulators, and consumers through improved grid reliability and potentially lower energy costs.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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