H.R. 7405

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7405 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7405

To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on using highway 
rights-of-way and rail rights-of-way as locations on which to construct 
high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 5, 2026

Mr. Mullin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on using highway 
rights-of-way and rail rights-of-way as locations on which to construct 
high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Rail and Highway Transmission 
Planning Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSE.

(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
transportation rights-of-way, including highway and rail rights-of-way, 
should be utilized in ways that serve the public interest, including 
accommodating new electric transmission infrastructure.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to accelerate the 
development of high-voltage transmission infrastructure by identifying 
opportunities to co-locate such projects within existing transportation 
rights-of-way, with the goal of alleviating energy capacity constraints 
and delivering more affordable, reliable electricity for consumers.

SEC. 3. STUDY ON PLACING HIGH-VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE ON 
RAIL AND HIGHWAY RIGHTS-OF-WAYS.

(a) Study.--The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
and each director of a National Laboratory determined relevant by the 
Secretary of Energy, shall conduct a study evaluating the potential 
benefits and challenges of using covered rights-of-way as locations on 
which to construct high-voltage transmission infrastructure.
(b) Elements.--In carrying out the study under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Energy shall--
(1) conduct a review of projects completed or being carried 
out to develop high-voltage electric transmission 
infrastructure on a covered right-of-way in the United States, 
including an assessment of any challenges with respect to 
safety, engineering, property rights, or other matters 
encountered while carrying out such projects and how each such 
challenge was addressed;
(2) based on the results of the review under paragraph (1), 
determine best practices with respect to the planning, 
permitting, financing, and developing of high-voltage electric 
transmission infrastructure on a covered right-of-way;
(3) generate, or consolidate from available sources, data 
on covered rights-of-way to evaluate the technical feasibility 
of building high-voltage transmission lines on each such 
covered right-of-way;
(4) using data generated or consolidated under paragraph 
(3), identify each covered right-of-way suitable for the 
construction of high-voltage transmission lines considering--
(A) with respect to the geographic region of each 
covered right-of-way evaluated, the need for 
transmission infrastructure to alleviate energy 
transmission capacity constraints or congestion in the 
geographic region;
(B) the technical feasibility of building high-
voltage transmission lines on each such covered right-
of-way; and
(C) any other considerations determined appropriate 
by the Secretary;
(5) with respect to each covered right-of-way identified 
under paragraph (4)--
(A) evaluate the suitability of various high-
voltage transmission configurations, accounting for the 
infrastructure needs of each such configuration, 
including--
(i) high-voltage alternating current;
(ii) high-voltage direct current;
(iii) point-to-point high-voltage direct 
current;
(iv) multi-terminal bi-directional high-
voltage direct current systems;
(v) overhead lines;
(vi) underground lines; and
(vii) any other relevant configuration, as 
determined by the Secretary;
(B) identify and examine any potential challenges 
unique to transmission development in the covered 
right-of-way;
(C) determine the costs and benefits of 
constructing high-voltage transmission infrastructure 
in the covered right-of-way, including any cost or time 
savings expected to be realized with respect to land 
acquisition or obtaining any requisite permits, and 
compare such costs and benefits to the average costs 
and benefits of constructing similar high-voltage 
transmission infrastructure on lands that are not a 
covered right-of-way;
(D) identify--
(i) any potential funding mechanisms and 
financing opportunities available for entities 
to use for the construction of high-voltage 
transmission infrastructure on the right-of-
way; and
(ii) any potential financial benefits for 
stakeholders in such construction, including 
owners of property abutting the right-of-way or 
otherwise implicated by the construction; and
(E) analyze how, if at all, the construction of 
high-voltage transmission infrastructure on the covered 
right-of-way is likely to support improvements in grid 
reliability, streamline the interconnection queue, 
increase energy transmission capacity, contribute to 
reduced energy costs for energy consumers, and improve 
highway or rail safety and efficiency;
(6) evaluate the effects, if any, of constructing and 
operating high-voltage transmission lines on covered rights-of-
way on the environment, railroad operations, and communities 
near the right-of-way, including--
(A) electromagnetic interference with rail safety, 
rail signaling equipment, and rail communication 
equipment; and
(B) the potential for safety or operational 
interference while performing maintenance, 
rehabilitation work, or expansion of transportation 
infrastructure on covered rights-of-way;
(7) develop--
(A) an interagency action plan with respect to the 
construction and operation of high-voltage transmission 
lines on covered rights-of-way; and
(B) for use facilitating the construction of high-
voltage transmission infrastructure on a covered right-
of-way, resources for use by--
(i) Federal, State, and local governmental 
agencies; and
(ii) utilities, railroad carriers, and 
other relevant stakeholders, as identified by 
the Secretary; and
(8) consult utilities, railroad carriers, and any relevant 
stakeholders, as identified by the Secretary.
(c) Publication.--
(1) Rolling publication of study elements.--As soon as is 
practicable after each element of the study described in 
subsection (b) is complete, the Secretary shall publish the 
results of the element and any data developed or consolidated 
in the completion of the element.
(2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(A) submit to Congress a report detailing the 
results of the study under subsection (a), including 
all data underpinning such results, which shall be 
presented in a machine-readable format; and
(B) publish such report and such data.
(3) Form.--All information, data, and reports published 
pursuant to this subsection--
(A) shall be published on a publicly accessible 
website of the Department of Energy; and
(B) may be published with redactions of any data 
the publication of which the Secretary determine poses 
a national security risk.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered right-of-way.--The term ``covered right-of-
way'' means--
(A) a highway right-of-way, including a right-of-
way of a State highway and a right-of-way of the 
National Highway System; or
(B) a rail right-of-way, including a right-of-way 
of an abandoned railroad.
(2) Highway; national highway system.--The terms 
``highway'' and ``National Highway System'' have the meanings 
given such terms, respectively, in section 101 of title 23, 
United States Code.
(3) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(4) Railroad carrier.--The term ``railroad carrier'' has 
the meaning given such term in section 20102 of title 49, 
United States Code.
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