Unleashing American Geothermal Energy Production

Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable energy source that provides efficient and dependable power for long periods of time, making it a great resource for the United States to diversify our energy supply and restore our energy independence. 

Currently, however, burdensome regulations are restricting American geothermal production on non-federal lands by requiring geothermal operators producing even minuscule amounts of federal resources to adhere to all federal laws and permitting processes.

This includes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires several lengthy review stages for geothermal permitting, holding up production for years and preventing geothermal operators from efficiently producing clean energy that can be used to generate electricity, heat American homes, and power industrial processes.

We should be promoting geothermal energy production, not placing administrative hurdles in its way. House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to unleash geothermal energy and streamline its production by cutting permitting red-tape, promoting American energy independence and lowering costs for hardworking Americans. 

H.R. 5587, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act, introduced by Rep. Young Kim, expedites geothermal energy production by exempting geothermal operators from federal drilling permit requirements, including NEPA, for wells on non-federal land where the United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50 percent of the subsurface geothermal estate.

House Republicans won’t stop fighting to unleash American energy, lower costs for families, and restore U.S. energy independence.