US HB7329

H.R. 7329 - FREEDOM Act Summary

• Establishes strict permitting deadlines requiring agencies to issue final decisions on routine authorizations within 90 days and complex authorizations within 1 year (2 years for environmental impact statements) after a project sponsor submits a complete notice of initiation

• Creates a De-Risking Compensation Program allowing energy project sponsors who pay annual premiums (1.5% of capital contribution) to seek compensation through the U.S. Court of Federal Claims when projects suffer losses due to permit revocations, agency delays, or missed deadlines, with minimum capital contribution of $5,000,000 required

• Prohibits agencies from halting fully permitted projects unless there is clear, immediate, substantiated harm with no viable alternative, or the authorization is illegal under Federal law with no other available remedy

• Establishes expedited judicial review allowing project sponsors to petition courts for relief within 60 days of final agency actions or immediately after missed deadlines, with courts required to issue decisions within 120 days and authority to assess civil penalties of $1,000-$100,000 per day against non-compliant agencies

• Streamlines geothermal leasing and permitting by requiring annual lease sales, establishing cost recovery authority, creating a Geothermal Ombudsman position, and eliminating federal drilling permit requirements for certain oil, gas, and geothermal activities on non-federal land where federal mineral ownership is below 50%