[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7370 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7370

 To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for 
         processing applications related to geothermal leasing.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 15, 2024

  Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for 
         processing applications related to geothermal leasing.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act'' 
or the ``GEO Act''.

SEC. 2. EFFECT OF PENDING CIVIL ACTIONS ON PROCESSING APPLICATIONS 
              RELATED TO GEOTHERMAL LEASING.

    Section 4 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1003) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) Effect of Pending Civil Actions on Processing Applications 
Related to Geothermal Leasing.--
            ``(1) Requirement to process applications.--Notwithstanding 
        the existence of any pending civil action that affects an 
        application for a geothermal drilling permit, sundry notice, 
        notice to proceed, right-of-way, or other authorization or 
        approval under a valid existing geothermal lease, the Secretary 
        shall, unless a United States Federal court vacated the 
        applicable geothermal lease, process each such application not 
        later than 30 days after completing all environmental documents 
        required under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
        Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)) for the authorization 
        or approval.
            ``(2) No new authority for federal courts.--Nothing in this 
        subsection shall be construed as providing authority to a 
        Federal court to vacate a geothermal lease.''.
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