Geothermal exploring accelerated by new House bill

News flash:  H.R. 6474,  a bill  to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas, passed the House yesterday by voice vote.  It now goes to the Senate for action.

NV-03 Representative Susie Lee originally co-sponsored the bill from R. Michelle Steel from California.  See https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6474/all-actions for legislative details.  Basically, this extends the same “categorical exclusions” to environmental impact requirements that are available for oil and gas exploration to geothermal exploration.  It’s no secret that Nevada sits on top of some significant geothermal resources.

Committee Chairman Bruce Westernman (R-Arkansas) explains the reasoning in this C-SPAN clip.  (Text below clip.)

Mr. Westerman: I rise in support of h.r. 6474, which will amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration in previously studied or developed areas. First i want to thank my colleague, representative Steel, for all the good work she’s done on this issue.

Duplicative leasing and the permitting process for geothermal development results in timelines longer than those for many other proms with such a high potential for geothermal access across the country.  It’s imperative to enact pragmatic reform to give all industries the same opportunity. Categorical exclusions expedite the NEPA projects when the area being disturbed has already undergone environmental review. Section 390 of the Environmental Policy Act granted five different keys to expedite oil and gas projects. It is necessary these keys apply to exploration and development [of geothermal] 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 add to utilization of geothermal energy. This bill would expedite the approval process for certain projects by adding geothermal development to Section 390. Again I applaud my colleague, Mrs. Steel, for this common sense, bipartisan bill.  I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez: thank you, Mr. Speaker. 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 want to thank my colleague for her attention to this important issue. I strongly support deploying geothermal energy on federal lands. And we have heard from geothermal developers that there can be challenges when it comes to permitting new geothermal plants. That’s 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 activities.

Categorical exclusions are used when there’s a class of actions that authorities have discovered do not cumulatively have a significant impact on the human environment and therefore do not require either an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA. Currently the oil and gas industries have a relatively narrow categorical exclusion in already developed oil fields. This bill attempts to put geothermal on a level playing field by taking that existing categorical exclusion and applying it 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. The existing categorical exclusion was designed for oil and gas. There are considerable differences between those types of energy and geothermal.

Fortunately, the Bureau Of Land Management already has the authority to create new categorical exclusions without legislation. Using that authority they’ve finalized new exclusions for geothermal energy that are better tailored to this unique type of energy, and the Bureau is currently working on establishing more categorical exclusions to ensure geothermal can be deployed on federal lands.

While I have some concerns about the expansion of existing categorical exclusion, I strongly support the Bureau’s work on geothermal and greatly appreciate my colleague’s attention on this issue. I reserve my time.

Mrs. Steel: Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge passage of H.R. 6474, my legislation to expedite geothermal energy growth and development. Embracing geothermal energy is [garbled] more sustainable, clean and reliable energy in California and the entire country. With a sizable geothermal supply, it 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 will — this bill is simple and straightforward. It’s just a type of commonsense solution my constituents send 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. Especially it would create an exemption for geothermal drilling in situations where drilling has occurred within the last five years.

This bill would create an expedited approval process for geothermal projects and a more promising energy future for the United States. I want to thank my legislative partner, Susie Lee, for working with me in a bipartisan manner, to support geothermal energy. I want to thank chairman Westerman and house leadership for working with us. America needs an all of the above energy approach that includes geothermal.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes and thank you

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez: I urge my colleagues to support the legislation and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Westerman: I’d like to commend my colleague from California, Mrs. Steel, for working across the aisle on 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: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 6474. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.