Sponsors (4)
The bill speeds and concentrates federal geothermal development by creating prioritized leasing, programmatic NEPA clearance, and clearer technical limits—benefiting developers, utilities, and local job creation—but does so by narrowing project-level environmental review and public input, raising risks of local environmental harm, legal conflict, and some taxpayer costs.
Developers, utilities, and small geothermal businesses get faster, more predictable federal permitting and leasing (priority leasing, PEIS programmatic clearance, and faster BLM review), reducing delays and regulatory uncertainty for projects.
Communities and energy companies gain more targeted clean-energy development because priority leasing steers projects to areas with transmission access and economic viability, supporting geothermal deployment and potential local jobs.
Rural communities and local economies may benefit from lower project costs and faster approvals that can accelerate construction and create jobs in energy development and related services.
Residents near federal geothermal projects, tribal communities, and ecosystems face reduced environmental review and public input because exploratory activities and many actions can avoid full project-level NEPA (categorical exclusions, not 'major Federal actions', long PEIS reliance).
Local communities and wildlife risk increased industrial disturbance (habitat loss, erosion, cultural-site impacts, road use) from prioritized leasing and permitted exploratory disturbances (e.g., up to 8 acres unreclaimed, multi-year disturbance).
Limiting project-level NEPA and relying on programmatic analyses for up to 10 years can miss site-specific health, safety, and environmental harms for residents and ecosystems that require local study and mitigation.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Defines and streamlines small-scale geothermal exploration under federal law, excludes those projects from NEPA "major Federal action" treatment, and creates a process for designating leasing priority areas with programmatic NEPA.
Introduced September 26, 2025 by Russell Fulcher · Last progress September 26, 2025
Creates a statutory definition and streamlined regulatory treatment for small-scale geothermal exploration on federal lands, excludes those exploration projects and certain related activities from being treated as "major Federal actions" under NEPA, and establishes a process for the Secretary of the Interior (with DOE consultation) to designate geothermal leasing priority areas on federal land and complete programmatic NEPA analyses. Requires short advance notice to the agency before drilling, sets technical and time limits for eligible exploration projects, and sets timelines and criteria for selecting and reviewing leasing priority areas, with programmatic EIS analyses binding for up to 10 years. The net effect is to speed and simplify permitting and federal review for limited geothermal exploration and to create a predictable, recurring programmatic environmental-review framework for areas prioritized for geothermal leasing, while preserving consultation with states, tribes, local governments, transmission owners/operators, and developers.