HR-5576-119
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 674.
Sponsored by Russ Fulcher (R-ID)
What it does
This bill would amend the Geothermal Steam Act to exempt small-scale geothermal exploration projects on federal leases—those with limited well diameter, under 8 acres of surface disturbance, completed within 180 days, and restored within 3 years—from being classified as "major Federal actions" requiring full review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Lease holders would instead only need to give the Secretary 30 days' notice before drilling begins.
Who benefits
Geothermal energy developers and lease holders operating on federal lands, who would face faster permitting timelines and lower compliance costs for exploratory drilling. The geothermal industry broadly, which has sought parity with oil and gas categorical exclusions, and the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service, which would process fewer detailed environmental reviews for these smaller projects.
Who is hurt
Environmental and conservation groups seeking judicial or administrative review of exploratory drilling impacts, since NEPA's public comment and environmental impact statement requirements would no longer apply to qualifying projects. Nearby communities, wildlife, and ecosystems on affected federal lands that lose the detailed environmental review and public input process for exploratory drilling, even though restoration is eventually required.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that full NEPA review for small, temporary exploratory wells—often under 8 acres and completed within months—is disproportionate to their environmental footprint and delays geothermal development that could diversify domestic energy supply. They contend the bill simply extends categorical-exclusion treatment already available to similar oil and gas exploration activities, citing BLM's 2024 announcement of comparable exclusions as evidence this approach is already administratively workable.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that exempting these projects from NEPA's "major Federal action" trigger removes public comment, environmental impact review, and interagency consultation for drilling on public lands, even when cumulative small projects could meaningfully affect sensitive habitats or water resources. They contend that a 30-day notice requirement is a weak substitute for NEPA's structured environmental review process and that codifying the exemption in statute makes it harder to revisit if unforeseen environmental harms emerge.