The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday approved legislation meant to ease permitting for geothermal energy, teeing up the bill for final congressional approval.
The panel cleared H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act, from Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), by voice vote. It would create a geothermal permitting task force within the Interior Department and expedite National Environmental Policy Act reviews. The House approved the package last month after incorporating several bills from both Democrats and Republicans.
The legislation would also allow Interior to charge geothermal companies certain costs related to the permitting process and have the department create standard guidelines to ensure geothermal projects are “environmentally responsible.”
Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) and ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) are currently negotiating a broader permitting reform package, which could be a landing spot for the Hurd package and other geothermal bills.
