National Energy Security Corridors Act

“(b) National Energy Security Corridors

“(1) Designation—In addition to other authorities under this section, the Secretary shall—

“(A) identify and designate suitable Federal lands as National Energy Security Corridors (in this subsection referred to as a “Corridor”), which shall be used for construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas transmission facilities; and

“(B) incorporate such Corridors upon designation into the relevant agency land use and resource management plans or equivalent plans.

“(2) Considerations—In evaluating Federal lands for designation as a National Energy Security Corridor, the Secretary shall—

“(A) employ the principle of multiple use to ensure route decisions balance national energy security needs with existing land use principles;

“(B) seek input from other Federal counterparts, State, local, and tribal governments, and affected utility and pipeline industries to determine the best suitable, most cost-effective, and commercially viable acreage for natural gas transmission facilities;

“(C) focus on transmission routes that improve domestic energy security through increasing reliability, relieving congestion, reducing natural gas prices, and meeting growing demand for natural gas; and

“(D) take into account technological innovations that reduce the need for surface disturbance.

“(3) Procedures—The Secretary shall establish procedures to expedite and approve applications for rights-of-way for natural gas pipelines across National Energy Security Corridors, that—

“(A) ensure a transparent process for review of applications for rights-of-way on such corridors;

“(B) require an approval time of not more than 1 year after the date of receipt of an application for a right-of-way; and

“(C) require, upon receipt of such an application, notice to the applicant of a predictable timeline for consideration of the application, that clearly delineates important milestones in the process of such consideration.

“(4) State input

“(A) Requests authorized—The Governor of a State may submit requests to the Secretary of the Interior to designate Corridors on Federal land in that State.

“(B) Consideration of requests—After receiving such a request, the Secretary shall respond in writing, within 30 days—

“(i) acknowledging receipt of the request; and

“(ii) setting forth a timeline in which the Secretary shall grant, deny, or modify such request and state the reasons for doing so.

“(5) Spatial distribution of corridors—In implementing this subsection, the Secretary shall coordinate with other Federal Departments to—

“(A) minimize the proliferation of duplicative natural gas pipeline rights-of-way on Federal lands where feasible;

“(B) ensure Corridors can connect effectively across Federal lands; and

“(C) utilize input from utility and pipeline industries submitting applications for rights-of-way to site corridors in economically feasible areas that reduce impacts, to the extent practicable, on local communities.

“(6) Not a major Federal action—Designation of a Corridor under this subsection, and incorporation of Corridors into agency plans under paragraph (1)(B), shall not be treated as a major Federal action for purpose of section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332).

“(7) No limit on number or length of Corridors—Nothing in this subsection limits the number or physical dimensions of Corridors that the Secretary may designate under this subsection.

“(8) Other authority not affected—Nothing in this subsection affects the authority of the Secretary to issue rights-of-way on Federal land that is not located in a Corridor designated under this subsection.

“(9) NEPA clarification—All applications for rights-of-way for natural gas transmission facilities across Corridors designated under this subsection shall be subject to the environmental protections outlined in subsection (h).”