Geothermal production on Federal lands

The Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

30.

Geothermal exploration projects

(a)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Geothermal exploration project

The term geothermal exploration project means the drilling of a temperature gradient well, monitoring well, calibration well, or another geothermal exploratory well, including construction or making improvements for such activities, on lands for which the Secretary has issued a geothermal lease—(A)that is carried out by the holder of the lease;(B)for which—(i)the last cemented casing string has an outer diameter of less than 133/8 inches; and(ii)the total unreclaimed surface disturbance at any one time within the project area is less than 8 acres, not including the area of a permanent or temporary access road;(C)that is completed in less than 180 days, including the removal of any surface infrastructure from the project area; and(D)that requires the restoration of the project area within 3 years of the date of first exploration drilling to approximately the condition that existed at the time the project began, unless the project area is subsequently used as part of energy development under the lease.(2)

Covered activity

The term covered activity includes, with respect to exploration, development, or production (including direct use) of geothermal resources—(A)geotechnical investigations;(B)off-road travel in a right-of-way established by Congress, granted by a Federal agency, or included in a land use plan; and(C)construction, maintenance, realignment, and repair of an existing permanent or temporary access road within a right-of-way established by Congress, granted by a Federal agency, or included in a land use plan.(b)

Non-Major Federal action

Geothermal exploration projects and covered activities shall not be considered major Federal actions under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).(c)

Requirement To provide notice

The holder of a geothermal lease shall provide to the Secretary notice of their intent to carry out a geothermal exploration project at least 30 days before the start of drilling under the project.

Findings

Congress finds that—(1)pursuant to section 109 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336c), as amended by section 321(b) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5), the Bureau of Land Management announced on April 15, 2024, it had adopted categorical exclusions from the Department of the Navy and the United States Forest Service for geothermal exploration; and(2)if appropriately used, these categorical exclusions are expected to expedite the review and approval of geothermal exploration proposals on Bureau of Land Management lands.