Geothermal permits fast-tracked even as lawsuits challenging them proceed
H.R. 301 — GEO Act · Filed by Celeste Maloy (R-UT) · 7 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 9, 2025 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to require the federal government to approve or deny geothermal drilling permits and related authorizations within 60 days of completing environmental reviews, even if lawsuits challenging the lease are pending. The bill does not prevent courts from blocking permits through injunctions or vacating leases, but it prevents pending litigation from delaying the agency's decision-making process.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is procedural: it mandates a 60-day decision timeline for geothermal permits regardless of pending litigation. This is a permitting-speed reform, not a substantive environmental deregulation, though it does alter the practical relationship between litigation and agency action.
What the text implies
- Permits may be issued and construction may commence while underlying legal challenges (environmental, property-rights, or lease-validity claims) remain unresolved in court, creating a 'fait accompli' dynamic that may disadvantage plaintiffs.
- The 60-day clock runs from completion of NEPA and ESA reviews, not from filing of the application, but the bill does not define who determines when 'all requirements' are complete—potential for agency discretion in clock-starting.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
geothermal energy developers and operators; renewable energy companies with geothermal portfolios; engineering and construction firms serving geothermal projects