§ 2801.9 - When do I need a grant?

§ 2801.9 When do I need a grant?

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 35677, May 1, 2024.

(a) You must have a grant under this part when you plan to use public lands for systems or facilities over, under, on, or through public lands. These include, but are not limited to:

(1) Reservoirs, canals, ditches, flumes, laterals, pipelines, tunnels, and other systems which impound, store, transport, or distribute water;

(2) Pipelines and other systems for transporting or distributing liquids and gases, other than water and other than oil, natural gas, synthetic liquid or gaseous fuels, or any refined products from them, or for storage and terminal facilities used in connection with them;

(3) Pipelines, slurry and emulsion systems, and conveyor belts for transporting and distributing solid materials and facilities for storing such materials in connection with them;

(4) Systems for generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity, including solar and wind energy development facilities and associated short-term actions, such as site and geotechnical testing for solar and wind energy projects;

(5) Transportation systems, such as roads, trails, highways, railroads, canals, tunnels, tramways, airways, and livestock driveways; and

(6) Such other necessary transportation or other systems or facilities, including any temporary or short-term surface disturbing activities associated with approved systems or facilities, which are in the public interest and which require rights-of-way.

(b) If you apply for a right-of-way grant for generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity, you must also comply with the applicable requirements of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under the Federal Power Act of 1935, 16 U.S.C. 791a et seq., and 18 CFR chapter I.

(c) See part 2880 of this chapter for information about authorizations BLM issues under the Mineral Leasing Act for transporting oil and gas resources.

(d) All systems, facilities, and related activities for solar and wind energy energy generation, storage, or transmission projects are specifically authorized as follows:

(1) Energy site-specific testing activities, including those with individual meteorological towers and instrumentation facilities, are authorized with a short-term right-of-way grant issued for 3 years or less;

(2) Energy project-area testing activities are authorized with a short-term right-of-way grant for an initial term of 3 years or less with the option to renew for one additional 3-year period under § 2805.14(h) when the renewal application is accompanied by an energy development application;

(3) Solar Energy generation facilities, including solar and wind energy development facilities located outside designated leasing areas, and those facilities located inside designated leasing areas under § 2809.17(d)(2), are authorized with a right-of-way grant or lease that may be issued for up to 30 50 years (plus the initial partial year of issuance). An application for renewal of the grant may be submitted under § 2805.14(g);

(4) Solar and wind energy development facilities located inside designated leasing areas are authorized with a solar or wind energy development lease when issued competitively under subpart 2809. The term is fixed for 30 years (plus the initial partial year of issuance). An application for renewal of the lease may be submitted under § 2805.14(g); and Energy storage facilities, which are separate from energy generation facilities, are authorized with a right-of-way grant that may be issued for up to 50 years;

(5) Other associated actions not specifically included in § 2801.9(d)(1) through (4), such as geotechnical testing and other temporary land disturbing activities, are authorized with a short-term right-of-way grant issued for 3 years or less.

(6) Electric transmission lines with a capacity of 100 kV or more are authorized with a right-of-way grant that may be issued for up to 50 years.

[70 FR 21058, Apr. 22, 2005, as amended at 81 FR 92207, Dec. 19, 2016; 89 FR 25959, Apr. 12, 2024; 89 FR 35677, May 1, 2024]