Sponsors (2)
The bill trades clearer, more current permitting and environmental guidance for geothermal development — which should speed safer projects and protect communities — against modest federal administrative costs and the risk of higher developer compliance costs or delays if consultations become contentious.
Geothermal developers and utilities gain clearer, updated permitting standards that reduce permitting delays and regulatory uncertainty, speeding project approvals and investment decisions.
Nearby rural communities and ecosystems face lower environmental and operational risks because the bill updates mitigation guidance for geothermal projects.
State governments and energy companies benefit from periodic five-year reviews that keep standards current with technology and best practices, supporting ongoing safe development.
Utilities and geothermal developers could face higher compliance costs if the updated guidance is more prescriptive, raising project expenses or slowing some projects.
Utilities, developers, and state governments may experience prolonged permitting uncertainty if required consultation processes are lengthy or contentious and cause publication delays.
The Department of the Interior and BLM will incur administrative staff time and costs to develop, consult on, and publish the updated guidance, diverting federal resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires Interior to identify and publish an updated, renamed Gold Book with standard procedures for geothermal leasing and permitting, and to review it at least every five years.
Official title: To direct the Department of the Interior to identify and publish standard procedures and guidelines for geothermal leasing and permit issuance for environmentally responsible geothermal operations on Federal lands.
Introduced September 30, 2025 by Yassamin Ansari · Last progress September 30, 2025
Requires the Interior Secretary, working with other federal agencies and stakeholders, to identify and publish updated standard procedures and guidelines for geothermal leasing and permitting by updating the Bureau of Land Management’s Gold Book to cover geothermal activities. The Secretary must complete identification of needed standards within one year, publish a renamed and updated Gold Book within 270 days after that, consult with agency field offices and outside stakeholders, include specified technical and compliance topics, and review and republish updates at least every five years to support efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal development.