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This bill would make it easier and faster to approve some geothermal energy projects. It changes an existing environmental review rule so that geothermal exploration and development in areas that have already been studied or developed can use the same faster process that now applies to some oil, gas, and related projects. In simple terms, the bill is meant to reduce delays for geothermal energy work in places where the government already has enough information to review the project more quickly.
- It updates a section of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that deals with environmental review under NEPA.
- It adds geothermal exploration and development to the list of projects that can qualify for the faster review process in certain areas.
- The goal is to speed up geothermal energy projects without requiring a full new review when the area has already been studied or developed before.
Official Summaries
Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act or the STEAM Act
This bill expedites the environmental review of certain geothermal energy activities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill expands the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include certain geothermal exploration or development activities in an existing categorical exclusion from NEPA for certain oil or gas activities.
A categorical exclusion applies to a class of actions that do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement under NEPA.
The categorical exclusion established by the bill applies to drilling a geothermal well (1) in an area where drilling has occurred previously within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins; or (2) within a developed field for which an approved land use plan or environmental document prepared under NEPA determined drilling to be a reasonably foreseeable activity, so long as the plan or document was approved within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1077 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 570
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1077
[Report No. 119-656]
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal
exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 6, 2025
Ms. Lee of Nevada (for herself and Ms. Maloy) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
May 20, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Perez, Mr. Gray, and Mr.
Suozzi
May 20, 2026
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal
exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Streamlining Thermal Energy through
Advanced Mechanisms Act'' or the ``STEAM Act''.
SEC. 2. 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''.
Union Calendar No. 570
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1077
[Report No. 119-656]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal
exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 20, 2026
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed