H.R. 596: Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-02-08 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-02-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Subcommittee Hearings Held. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013

Plain summary

Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013 - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require amounts received through FY2020 (currently, through FY2010) from leases under the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to be available to the Secretary of the Interior to spend in such amounts as are provided in advance appropriations acts for implementing such Acts. Requires the Secretary of Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to each establish a wind and solar leasing pilot program under which lease sales are conducted on covered public lands administered by the Secretary concerned to carry out wind and solar energy projects. Requires the Secretaries to jointly determine as to whether to expand the pilot program to apply to all covered public lands. Defines "covered land" to mean land that is: (1) public land administered by the Secretary of the Interior, or National Forest System land administered by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (2) not excluded from development of solar or wind energy under a final land use plan established under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, a final land and resource management plan established under the National Forest Management Act of 1976, or federal law. Establishes in the Treasury the Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior for use in regions impacted by the development of wind or solar energy on public lands. Requires Fund amounts to be used in those regions for: (1) the protection and restoration of important fish and wildlife habitat; and (2) the assurance and improvement of access to federal lands and waters for hunting, fishing, and other forms of outdoor recreation. Requires the Secretaries to determine the feasibility of carrying out a mitigation banking program on federal lands administered by the Secretaries to fully offset the impacts of wind or solar energy on such lands.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-4] · 61 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Thompson (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Jim Costa (D-CA), Mark E. Amodei (R-NV), Michael K. Simpson (R-ID), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Steve Daines (R-MT), Dina Titus (D-NV), Jared Huffman (D-CA), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and 1 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-4] reported raising $813,542 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr596.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr596 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113