HR 301
GEO Act
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- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Bill overview
The Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act (GEO Act) aims to speed up the process of obtaining permits and authorizations for geothermal energy projects on federal lands. It requires the Department of the Interior to either approve or deny applications for geothermal leases and drilling permits within 60 days of completing all required reviews, including environmental assessments. The bill includes provisions to ensure that pending legal challenges do not unduly delay the processing of these applications, while also clarifying the definition of what constitutes an ‘authorization’ for these projects.
Key provisions
- Establishes a 60-day deadline for the Department of the Interior to process geothermal lease and drilling permit applications.
- Requires the Secretary of the Interior to approve or deny applications within the specified timeframe.
- Exempts the processing timeline from pending civil actions unless a court vacates or provides injunctive relief.
- Defines ‘authorization’ as any license, permit, or administrative decision required for geothermal projects.
- Includes provisions to prevent the bill from altering existing court authority to issue injunctions.
Who is affected
- Department of the Interior
- Geothermal energy developers
- Federal land managers
- Environmental groups
- Energy sector
Notable changes
- Adds a specific timeline for processing geothermal lease and drilling permit applications.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large] Begich
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 301
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for processing applications related to geothermal leasing.
This Act may be cited as the Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act GEO Act
or the
.
Section 4 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1003) is amended by adding at the end the following: