Sponsors (4)
The bill speeds and lowers the cost of geothermal development on previously disturbed or recently approved sites—helping deploy low‑carbon energy—while trading off fuller environmental review, local safeguards, and public input that could otherwise identify site‑specific risks.
Utilities and energy developers can begin geothermal drilling more quickly on previously drilled or recently developed sites by using a NEPA categorical exclusion.
Permitting time and costs for geothermal projects at eligible sites are reduced, lowering development expenses for project sponsors and potentially speeding project finance and deployment.
Faster, lower‑cost permitting may accelerate deployment of low‑carbon geothermal energy, supporting cleaner electricity generation and potential local job creation in rural communities.
Streamlined review could overlook site-specific environmental harms (e.g., water use impacts, induced seismicity, subsurface contamination), exposing nearby residents and local ecosystems to risks.
Bypassing full NEPA analysis for some drilling could reduce environmental safeguards and increase health and safety risks for nearby communities.
Residents and local governments may have reduced public input and transparency on drilling approvals when full NEPA processes are avoided.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds geothermal to the statute so certain geothermal drilling qualifies for a rebuttable NEPA categorical exclusion presumption, like oil and gas.
Official title: Amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.
Introduced February 6, 2025 by Catherine Marie Cortez Masto · Last progress February 6, 2025
The bill expands an existing Energy Policy Act provision so certain geothermal activities are treated the same as oil and gas for a NEPA categorical exclusion presumption. It makes drilling at recently drilled locations and drilling within a recently analyzed developed field for geothermal eligible for a rebuttable presumption favoring categorical exclusion from more extensive NEPA review. The change aims to speed permitting and reduce environmental review time for specified geothermal operations analyzed or drilled within the last five years.