Sponsors (4)
Official title: To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to promote timely exploration for geothermal resources under geothermal leases, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 26, 2025 by Russell Fulcher · Last progress September 26, 2025
The bill speeds and reduces uncertainty for geothermal development—potentially boosting clean-energy deployment and jobs—but does so by narrowing site-level NEPA review and public safeguards, raising risks of local environmental harms and community opposition.
Utilities and developers get faster, more predictable permission to conduct short exploratory geothermal drilling without full NEPA 'major Federal action' review, speeding project starts.
A programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) provides up to 10 years of NEPA clearance for leasing and development, substantially reducing permitting delays and regulatory uncertainty for projects.
Designating priority leasing areas (especially near transmission) concentrates development where it is economically viable, encouraging clean energy deployment and local jobs.
Classifying many exploratory activities as not 'major Federal actions' and relying on categorical exclusions reduces comprehensive NEPA review and public input, weakening environmental oversight across affected projects.
Relying on a programmatic NEPA clearance for up to 10 years constrains site-specific review of environmental and health risks and may increase the likelihood of overlooked local harms and downstream litigation.
Prioritizing federal lands for leasing (often near transmission) can increase local industrial disturbance, road use, and landscape impacts for nearby communities.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Defines limited geothermal exploration projects, narrows NEPA treatment for them, and creates a program for designating geothermal leasing priority areas with required PEIS reviews.
Creates a clear, limited definition and expedited regulatory path for short-term geothermal exploration projects on Federal lands and directs the Department of the Interior (with Energy Dept. consultation) to identify and update areas prioritized for geothermal leasing. It exempts these defined exploration projects and certain low-impact activities from being treated as "major Federal actions" under NEPA, requires short pre‑drilling notice to the Secretary, and requires programmatic NEPA analyses for designated leasing-priority areas with a regular review schedule.