[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5733-H5734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     AMENDING THE ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005 TO EXPEDITE GEOTHERMAL 
  EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN PREVIOUSLY STUDIED OR DEVELOPED AREAS

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6474) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite 
geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or 
developed areas.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6474

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

     SECTION 1. NEPA REVIEW.

       Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     15942) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``, or the Geothermal 
     Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) for the purpose of 
     exploration or development of geothermal resources'' after 
     ``or gas''; and
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or gas'' and inserting 
     ``, gas, or geothermal''; and
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or gas'' and inserting 
     ``, gas, or geothermal''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio-
Cortez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on H.R. 6474, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 6474, which will amend the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development 
in previously studied or developed areas.
  First, I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Steel, for 
all the good work she has done on this issue.
  Duplicative leasing and the permitting process for geothermal 
development result in timelines longer than those of many other energy 
projects. With such a high potential for geothermal access across the 
country, it is imperative we enact pragmatic reform to give all energy 
industries the same opportunity.
  Categorical exclusions, or CEs, expedite the NEPA process for energy 
projects when the area being disturbed has already undergone 
environmental review.
  Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 granted five different 
CEs to expedite the development of oil and gas projects.
  It is necessary that these fees also apply to geothermal exploration 
and development because the processes utilized by these two industries 
are very similar, as is the technology and equipment used to drill.
  Establishing categorical exclusions for geothermal energy in areas 
with existing production or areas that have been recently studied is a 
responsible way to increase the utilization of geothermal energy, 
expediting the permitting process without reducing environmental 
standards.
  This bill would expedite the approval process for certain geothermal 
projects by adding geothermal energy development to section 390.
  Again, I applaud my colleague, Mrs. Steel, for this commonsense and 
bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise to comment on H.R. 6474, Representative Steel's bill, which 
aims to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously 
studied or developed areas. I thank my colleague for her attention to 
this important issue.
  I strongly support deploying geothermal energy on Federal lands. We 
have heard from geothermal developers that there can be challenges when 
it comes to permitting new geothermal plants. That is exactly why 
several of the bills we are discussing here today are designed to 
address those very challenges.
  Now, what H.R. 6474 would do is legislate the creation of a new 
categorical exclusion for certain geothermal-related activities. 
Categorical exclusions are used when there is a class of actions that 
Federal agencies have determined do not individually or cumulatively 
have a significant impact on the human environment, and therefore, do 
not require either an environmental assessment or an environmental 
impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA.
  Currently, the oil and gas industries have a relatively narrow 
categorical exclusion for minor disturbances in already developed oil 
fields; that is, oil fields that have recently been analyzed under 
NEPA.
  This bill attempts to put geothermal on a level playing field by 
taking that existing categorical exclusion and applying it basically as 
is to geothermal.
  At the legislative hearing on this bill, the Bureau of Land 
Management testified that it is skeptical that this policy will provide 
significant benefits for geothermal because the existing categorical 
exclusion was designed for oil and gas, and there are considerable 
differences between those types of energy and geothermal.
  Fortunately, the Bureau of Land Management already has the authority 
to establish new categorical exclusions administratively without the 
need for legislation.
  Using that authority, the Bureau has recently finalized new 
categorical exclusions for geothermal energy that were adopted from 
other agencies and are better tailored to this unique type of energy.
  The Bureau is currently working on establishing more categorical 
exclusions to ensure that geothermal can be deployed responsibly and 
efficiently on Federal land.
  While I have some concerns about the expansion of existing 
categorical exclusions for oil and gas, I strongly support the Bureau 
of Land Management's work on geothermal, and again, I am grateful for 
my colleague's attention to this important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Steel), the lead sponsor of this bill.
  Mrs. STEEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge passage of H.R. 6474, my 
legislation to expedite geothermal energy growth and development.

[[Page H5734]]

  Embracing geothermal energy will propel more sustainable, clean, and 
reliable energy in California and the entire country.
  With a sizeable geothermal reservoir, more growth opportunities will 
allow California to take full advantage of our natural resources.
  My bill will also support local economies as production grows. More 
geothermal power will create and maintain sustainable local jobs.
  Geothermal can be an important tool to make America more energy 
independent and less dependent on our enemies. My legislation will 
allow my home State of California to seize the reins as the leading 
national energy provider.
  This bill is simple and straightforward. It is just the type of 
commonsense solution my constituents sent me to Congress to find.
  My legislation amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to allow for a 
new categorical exclusion for geothermal under the National 
Environmental Policy Act.
  Specifically, it would create an exemption for geothermal drilling in 
situations where drilling has occurred within the last 5 years.

                              {time}  2015

  This bill will create an expedited approval process for geothermal 
projects and a more promising energy future for the United States.
  I thank my legislative partners, Susie Lee, for working with me in a 
bipartisan manner to support geothermal energy. I also thank Chairman 
Westerman and House leadership for working with us to advance this 
legislation. America needs an all-of-the-above energy approach that 
includes geothermal.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am 
prepared to close, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from 
California (Mrs. Steel) for working across the aisle in this 
bipartisan, all-of-the-above energy bill. I urge my colleagues to 
support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Crane). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6474.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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