WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House is expected next week to consider a measure intended to help speed up permitting of geothermal projects on public lands. The legislation consolidates provisions from six previously approved bills introduced by both Republicans and Democrats.
The consolidated package uses as its base a bill introduced by Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., which would require the Interior secretary to designate a geothermal ombudsman within the Bureau of Land Management. The ombudsman would serve as a liaison between various BLM offices and officials to facilitate the permitting process for geothermal projects on public lands.
The version scheduled for consideration under suspension of the rules has been amended to include text from five other bills approved by the House Natural Resources Committee in March. One provision, from Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, would require the Interior Department to approve or deny geothermal applications within 60 days after completing legally mandated reviews under laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act.
The measure also incorporates a bill from Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., extending a categorical exclusion from NEPA requirements for geothermal drilling conducted in areas where such permitting occurred within the past five years. Additional provisions include requirements for the department to develop standardized permitting procedures, authorize fee collection to recover application review costs, and allow geothermal facilities on the same lease to pay different royalties based on each facility’s time in service.
Those last three provisions originated with bills introduced by Reps. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz.; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; and Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, respectively. The House Natural Resources Committee approved all the included measures en bloc by consent vote in March.
In a committee hearing, Hurd suggested his bill and other support for geothermal developers would benefit communities in western Colorado. Geothermal energy is a zero-emissions source and provides continuously available baseload power. The issue has drawn bipartisan backing, with Democrats boosting geothermal in their 2022 reconciliation law and Republicans preserving its tax credits in last year’s reconciliation legislation.