Geothermal Energy Advancement Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5631) to appoint a Geothermal Ombudsman and establish a Geothermal Permitting Task Force from within the Bureau of Land Management, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5631
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 ``Geothermal Energy Advancement Act''. SEC. 2. EFFECT OF PENDING CIVIL ACTIONS ON PROCESSING APPLICATIONS RELATED TO GEOTHERMAL LEASING.
Section 4 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1003) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Effect of Pending Civil Actions on Processing Applications Related to Geothermal Leasing.--
``(1) Requirement to process applications.--Notwithstanding the existence of any pending civil action that affects an application for a geothermal drilling permit, sundry notice, notice to proceed, right-of-way, or any other authorization under a valid existing geothermal lease, the Secretary shall, unless a United States Federal court vacates or provides injunctive relief for the applicable geothermal lease, geothermal drilling permit, sundry notice, notice to proceed, right-of-way, or other authorization, approve and issue, or deny, each such application not later than 60 days after completing all requirements under applicable Federal laws and regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code.
``(2) No new authority for federal courts.--Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as modifying any existing authority of a Federal court to vacate or provide injunctive relief for a geothermal lease, geothermal drilling permit, sundry notice, notice to proceed, right-of-way, or other authorization.
``(3) Definition of authorization.--In this subsection, the term `authorization' means any license, permit, approval, finding, determination, or other administrative decision issued by a Federal agency, or any interagency consultation, that is required or authorized under Federal law or regulations in order to site, construct, reconstruct, or commence operations of a geothermal project administered by a Federal agency.''. SEC. 3. COST RECOVERY FROM GEOTHERMAL LEASING, PERMITTING, AND INSPECTIONS.
Section 6 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1005) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Cost Recovery.--
``(1) In general.--During the period that begins on the date of enactment of this subsection and ends September 30, 2033, the Secretary may require an applicant for, or a holder of, a geothermal lease to reimburse the United States for all reasonable administrative and other costs incurred by the United States from--
``(A) processing the application for the geothermal lease, including any application for an operations plan, geothermal drilling permit, utilization plan, site license, facility construction permit, commercial use permit, and any other approval associated with a geothermal lease; and
``(B) inspecting and monitoring--
``(i) geophysical exploration activities;
``(ii) the drilling, plugging, and abandonment of wells; and
``(iii) the construction, operation, termination, and reclamation of any well site or facility for the utilization of geothermal resources pursuant to the geothermal lease.
``(2) Considerations.--In determining whether to require reimbursement under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider whether there is in existence a cooperative cost share agreement between the United States and the holder of a geothermal lease.
``(3) Adjustments.--The Secretary may reduce the amount to be reimbursed under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines--
``(A) that full reimbursement would impose an economic hardship on the applicant; or
``(B) that a less than full reimbursement is necessary to promote the greatest use of geothermal resources.
``(4) Use.--The amounts reimbursed under this subsection shall be credited to the currently applicable appropriation, account, or fund of the Department of the Interior as discretionary offsetting collections, and shall be available only to the extent provided in advance in appropriations Acts for--
``(A) processing the application for geothermal leases, including any application for operations plans, geothermal drilling permits, utilization plans, site licenses, facility construction permits, commercial use permits, and any other approval associated with geothermal leases; and
``(B) inspecting and monitoring--
``(i) geophysical exploration activities;
``(ii) the drilling, plugging, and abandonment of wells; and
``(iii) the construction, operation, termination, and reclamation of any well site or facility for the utilization of geothermal resources pursuant to geothermal leases.''. SEC. 4. REPORT.
(a) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the geothermal industry and other stakeholders, shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of the Interior, a report that includes--
(1) an assessment of how the amendments made by section 3 of this Act affected the Bureau of Land Management's geothermal program;
(2) any recommendations for reauthorization of section 6(j) of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, as added by this Act; and
(3) any other recommendations for updates to such section and the Bureau of Land Management's geothermal program.
(b) Considerations.--In developing the report required in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall solicit facts or information from the geothermal industry and other stakeholders. SEC. 5. PUBLICATION OF ``GOLD BOOK'' FOR GEOTHERMAL OPERATIONS ON FEDERAL LANDS.
(a) Identification.--Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with other relevant Federal agencies, shall identify standard procedures and guidelines for efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting to the extent such standard procedures and guidelines are not addressed in the fourth edition of the Bureau of Land Management's ``Surface Operating Standards and Guidelines for Oil and Gas Exploration and Development'', commonly known as the ``Gold Book'' and last revised in 2007.
(b) Publication.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after identifying standard procedures and guidelines under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall publish an updated version of the Gold Book incorporating any changes necessary to support efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting for use by the field offices of the Bureau of Land Management and geothermal operators.
(2) Renaming gold book.--The Secretary of the Interior shall rename the Gold Book to reflect the incorporation of standard procedures and guidelines related to geothermal development.
(c) Consultation.--Before publishing an updated version of the Gold Book, the Secretary of the Interior shall consult with--
(1) other relevant Federal agencies, including field offices of the Bureau of Land Management; and
(2) outside stakeholders, including developers and other experts.
(d) Inclusions.--Each updated version of the Gold Book shall include standard procedures and guidelines for ensuring the efficient review and approval of environmentally responsible geothermal development, including--
(1) exploration and geophysical operations;
(2) permitting lease operations;
(3) compliance with all applicable laws and regulations;
(4) construction and maintenance; and
(5) drilling, production, and utilization operations.
(e) Periodic Revision.--The Secretary of the Interior shall--
(1) at least once every five years, review the most recent version of the Gold Book; and
(2) if determined necessary by the Secretary of the Interior to support efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting, publish an updated version of the Gold Book. SEC. 6. GEOTHERMAL OMBUDSMAN AND PERMITTING TASK FORCE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Geothermal authorization.--The term ``geothermal authorization'' means any license, permit, approval, finding, determination, or other administrative decision issued by the Bureau of Land Management and any interagency consultation that is required or authorized under Federal law in order to site, construct, reconstruct, or commence operations of a geothermal energy project administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Geothermal energy project.--The term ``geothermal energy project'' means a project wholly or partially located on public land that uses geothermal energy to generate heat or electricity.
(3) Public land.--The term ``public land'' means lands subject to geothermal leasing under section 3 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1002).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior.
(5) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the Geothermal Permitting Task Force established under subsection (c).
(b) Geothermal Ombudsman.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall appoint from within the Bureau of Land Management a Geothermal Ombudsman.
(2) Duties.--The Geothermal Ombudsman appointed under paragraph (1) shall--
(A) act as a liaison between--
(i) the individual field, district, and State offices of the Bureau of Land Management;
(ii) the Division Chief of the National Renewable Energy Coordination Office of the Bureau of Land Management; and
(iii) the Director of the Bureau of Land Management;
(B) provide dispute resolution services between the individual field, district, and State offices of the Bureau of Land Management and applicants for geothermal authorizations;
(C) monitor and facilitate permit processing practices and timelines across individual field offices of the Bureau of Land Management;
(D) develop best practices for the permitting and leasing process for geothermal resources; and
(E) coordinate with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.
(c) Geothermal Permitting Task Force.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish within the Bureau of Land Management a Geothermal Permitting Task Force.
(2) Leadership.--The Task Force shall be headed by the Geothermal Ombudsman appointed under subsection (b).
(3) Permitting support.--The Task Force shall support the duties of the Geothermal Ombudsman appointed under subsection (b).
(4) Cross-office personnel assignments.--
(A) In general.--In their capacity as head of the Task Force, the Geothermal Ombudsman may coordinate with any Departmental bureau or office to assign personnel with relevant expertise to assist with completion of geothermal authorizations in field, district, or State offices other than the official duty station where such personnel are located if--
(i) the Departmental bureau or office determines that such assignment will not materially delay ongoing completion of authorizations within the office where the employee is located; and
(ii) approval is received from the head of the official duty station where the assigned employee is located.
(B) Assigned personnel requirements.--Department personnel assigned to assist with completion of geothermal authorizations under subparagraph (A) shall--
(i) work in-person full-time at an official Department office;
(ii) if necessary as determined by the Geothermal Ombudsman, travel to the Bureau of Land Management field, district, or State office with jurisdiction over the geothermal authorization to which the employee has been assigned by the Geothermal Ombudsman;
(iii) participate as part of the team of personnel working on geothermal authorizations to which the employee has been assigned by the Geothermal Ombudsman; and
(iv) regularly report to the head of the field, district, or State office of the Bureau of Land Management with jurisdiction over geothermal authorizations to which the employee has been assigned by the Geothermal Ombudsman.
(C) Retention allowances.--
(i) In general.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Geothermal Ombudsman may pay a retention allowance to an employee assigned to assist with the completion of geothermal authorizations under subparagraph (A). Retention allowances--
(I) shall be stated as the percentage of the rate of basic pay of an employee, and may not exceed 25 percent of such rate of basic pay;
(II) may not be considered to be part of the basic pay of an employee, and the reduction or elimination of a retention allowance may not be appealed; and
(III) shall be paid at the same time and in the same manner as the employee's basic pay is paid.
(ii) Considerations.--In exercising the retention allowance authority described in clause (i), the Geothermal Ombudsman shall consider--
(I) an employee's specialized expertise related to geothermal authorizations;
(II) the demonstrated need to retain an employee to meet the performance improvement objectives for geothermal authorization timelines and develop best practices for completion of geothermal authorizations; and
(III) the difficulty in recruiting or replacing qualified personnel with relevant expertise related to geothermal authorizations.
(D) Savings clause.--Cross-office personnel assignments carried out under this paragraph shall not alter the underlying jurisdiction of other offices of the Bureau of Land Management over applicable geothermal authorizations.
(d) Report.--The Geothermal Ombudsman shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives an annual report that describes the activities of the Task Force and evaluates the effectiveness of geothermal permit processing during the preceding 1-year period. SEC. 7. GEOTHERMAL ROYALTIES.
(a) Definitions.--Section 2 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) `Geothermal electric generating facility' means a facility, including all necessary equipment or structures (including turbines and cooling equipment), that produces electricity using geothermal resources. For purposes of section 5(a)(1), a facility described in the preceding sentence shall be considered a separate facility from any other such facility unless the facility shares a turbine with any other such facility.
``(i) `In-service date' means, with respect to a geothermal electric generating facility, the date on which the geothermal electric generating facility begins operating.''.
(b) Geothermal Royalties.--Section 5(a)(1) of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1004(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) by inserting ``with respect to a geothermal electric generating facility producing electricity from such resources,'' before ``not less than'';
(B) by inserting ``by the geothermal electric generating facility'' after ``produced''; and
(C) by striking ``the first 10 years of production under the lease'' and inserting ``each year of the 10-year period following the in-service date of the geothermal electric generating facility''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) by inserting ``with respect to a geothermal electric generating facility producing electricity from such resources,'' before ``not less than'';
(B) by inserting ``by the geothermal electric generating facility'' after ``produced''; and
(C) by striking ``such 10-year period'' and inserting ``the period of 10 years described in subparagraph (A)''. SEC. 8. 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''.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. 5631, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act, sponsored by Representative Hurd.
The United States has an abundance of natural resources, and many of these resources are found on Federal land throughout the country. There is one resource in particular that is uniquely positioned to help meet our growing energy demand in the Western United States, and that is geothermal energy.
The first geothermal project on Bureau of Land Management lands was approved in 1978. Since then, technological advancements and increased data collection have given geothermal projects significant momentum, and BLM lands have attracted strong interest from geothermal producers.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the Great Basin Region alone holds about 135 gigawatts of next-generation geothermal potential. That is enough to power roughly 100 to 135 million homes.
Today, there are 51 operating power plants producing geothermal energy on BLM-managed public lands, with a combined installed capacity of more than 2.6 gigawatts.
Unfortunately, cumbersome leasing and permitting practices on Federal lands have prolonged project timelines and increased costs for geothermal developers. This is why I am pleased to support the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act.
This past December, during a legislative hearing, we heard from multiple witnesses who stressed the importance of commonsense measures that further exploration, provide timely lease sales, and enhance geothermal expertise within Federal agencies. This legislation includes provisions from six bipartisan bills that accomplish just that.
The Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act, introduced by Representative Hurd, will provide BLM with the needed staffing flexibility by appointing a geothermal ombudsman from within that agency who will coordinate among offices and assign expert personnel from across the Department of the Interior to assist with approvals as part of a newly formed Geothermal Permitting Task Force.
The Geothermal Gold Book Development Act, introduced by Representative Ansari, directs DOI to identify and publish standard procedures and guidelines in a Gold Book for efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting for use by BLM field offices and geothermal operators.
The Geothermal Royalty Reform Act, introduced by Representative Kennedy, provides a much-needed fix to the royalty system for geothermal energy, ensuring fair cost distribution for new geothermal facilities on Federal land.
The Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act, or the STEAM Act, introduced by Representative Lee, extends categorical exclusions available to oil and gas activities to geothermal development.
The Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act, introduced by Representative Ocasio-Cortez, would authorize the BLM to establish fees for geothermal operators to offset permitting costs.
Lastly, the Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act, or the GEO Act, introduced by Representative Maloy, requires the BLM to follow through on its job of processing geothermal permits and authorizations unless a Federal court directs it to do otherwise.
Together, these reforms will help to release the heat below our feet and bolster American energy dominance.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in support of H.R.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record six letters of support for the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act. These letters are from ClearPath Action, Corporate Energy Buyers Association, Enhanced Geothermal Systems Deployment Coalition, Geothermal Rising Action, Ormat Technologies, and Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals. ClearPath Action, June 2, 2026. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC. Hon. Jared Huffman, Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Huffman: On behalf of ClearPath Action, I write to express our strong support for two pieces of legislation under House floor consideration this week: H.R. 1687, the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now (CLEAN) Act and H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act. Together, these bipartisan bills will help unlock America's geothermal potential--delivering clean, firm, baseload power to meet surging electricity demand while advancing energy security.
ClearPath Action advocates for more clean energy innovation, modernized permitting and regulatory reform, America's global competitiveness for manufacturing, and unlocking more American resources. For over a decade, ClearPath Action has championed policies that harness the power of the private sector and reduce government red tape to deploy innovative American energy technologies, including next-generation geothermal. Geothermal power remains an underutilized resource that is largely stranded on federal lands due to outdated and inefficient leasing and permitting regimes. The legislation before the House this week will take meaningful action to reduce these barriers and allow the technology to reach commercial scale.
The moment is ripe for action. A new wave of enhanced geothermal technologies is rapidly maturing, promising to extend geothermal to geologies far beyond traditional hotspots. Nearly 90 percent of U.S. geothermal resources are located on federal lands, yet the current leasing backlog and permitting uncertainty make it difficult for developers to plan and finance projects with confidence. The industry needs a permitting process that keeps pace with commercial ambition.
The CLEAN Act and the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act deliver exactly that. Passage of both bills would send a powerful signal that Congress is serious about unleashing domestic geothermal resources, diversifying America's clean energy supply, and ensuring that federal land management serves as a platform for American energy dominance rather than an obstacle to it.
ClearPath Action urges the House to pass both bills. We stand ready to work with the Committee, House leadership, and the Senate on additional steps to enact these measures into law. Thank you for your leadership on this critical issue. Sincerely, Jeremy Harrell, Chief Executive Officer, ClearPath Action. ____ CEBA, June 1, 2026. Hon. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, Washington, DC. Hon. Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader, Washington, DC. Re The Corporate Energy Buyers Association Supports H.R. 5631, The Geothermal Energy Advancement Act
Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries: On behalf of the Corporate Energy Buyers Association (CEBA) and our more than 320 member companies, I write to share our strong support for H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act. CEBA appreciates your leadership in bringing this bipartisan legislation to the House floor. We are also grateful to the bill's sponsors and the House Natural Resources Committee for developing a package that addresses real barriers to geothermal deployment. CEBA respectfully urges Members of the House to vote in favor of H.R. 5631.
As a business association representing the largest corporate clean energy buyers in the United States, CEBA strongly supports policies that will accelerate the development and deployment of low-cost, reliable, carbon emissions-free energy sources, including geothermal technologies.
Geothermal energy is an abundant, reliable electricity source that can help support increasing demand from economic growth, particularly in the West, while strengthening energy security. With a high capacity factor of about 90 percent geothermal power plants provide a steady output of baseload electricity to power large energy customers or support other renewable energy resources. While the U.S. has significant geothermal potential, the relatively nascent sector faces high upfront capital costs, investment barriers, and technological limitations that lawmakers are seeking to address. Passing the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act will accelerate the permitting process for geothermal projects, addressing some of the major regulatory barriers hindering greater buildout.
CEBA is pleased to see significant bipartisan support for this legislation. We look forward to continuing our work with your offices and all members of Congress to advance commonsense geothermal permitting policies. Again, we respectfully urge House leadership to support passage of the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act and encourage your colleagues to vote in favor of the package when it is brought before the full House. Thank you for your leadership in working to ensure reliable, affordable, domestically sourced electricity for all Americans. Sincerely, Rich Powell, CEO, CEBA. ____ EGS DC, June 1, 2026.
The Enhanced Geothermal Systems Deployment Coalition (EGS DC) encourages the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act (H.R. 5631) and the Committing Leases for Energy access Now (CLEAN) Act (H.R. 1687).
The Geothermal Energy Advancement Act is a package of six bills that would modernize the federal geothermal leasing, permitting, and regulatory process, including:
Geothermal Energy Opportunity (GEO) Act (H.R. 301; Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-UT)
Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2025 (H.R. 398; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY)
Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms (STEAM) Act (H,R. 1077; Rep. Susie Lee, D-NV)
Geothermal Gold Book Development Act (H.R. 5617; Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-AZ)
Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act (H.R. 5631; Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-CO)
Geothermal Royalty Reform Act (H.R. 5638; Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-UT)
Together alongside the CLEAN Act, these bills would improve permitting timelines, establish clearer federal coordination, and provide greater certainty for geothermal project development, accelerating the responsible deployment of enhanced geothermal technologies nationwide.
This package represents the most significant geothermal legislative effort in years and reflects broad bipartisan recognition of geothermal energy's role in supporting reliable, domestic power generation. While testifying on this legislation, Fervo Energy CEO Tim Latimer emphasized that ``the greatest barrier to geothermal growth isn't technology--its process. [. . .] With targeted reforms to environmental review and transmission permitting, geothermal can become a cornerstone of America's energy supply.''
EGS DC supports passage of this package and encourages the Senate to act on this legislation and advance solutions that expand enhanced geothermal energy and strengthen American energy leadership. ____ Geothermal Rising Action, Re Support for H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act, and H.R. 1687, the CLEAN Act.
Dear Members of the House of Representatives: On behalf of Geothermal Rising Action, an affiliate of the national trade association for the American geothermal industry representing over 100 organizational members, we urge a YES vote on H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act, and H.R. 1687, the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now (CLEAN) Act.
H.R. 5631 combines six bipartisan bills approved unanimously by the House Natural Resources Committee: The Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act; The Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms (STEAM) Act; The Geothermal Energy Opportunity (GEO) Act; The Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2025; The Geothermal Gold Book Development Act; and The Geothermal Royalty Reform Act. Together with the CLEAN Act, this legislation addresses key barriers to geothermal development on federal lands by streamlining the permitting process, increasing the frequency of lease sales, improving agency coordination and best practices, and providing greater regulatory certainty for geothermal developers.
Geothermal energy operates 24/7 at over 90 percent capacity, has the smallest land footprint per megawatt-hour of any energy source, creates jobs using the same workforce and equipment as oil and gas, and can co-produce critical minerals essential for national security. Over 90 percent of discoverable geothermal resources are on federal lands. Federal permitting remains one of the most persistent bottlenecks to deployment, and this legislation provides practical, bipartisan solutions.
We respectfully urge the House to pass both bills and welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource to any Member or staff with questions about geothermal energy. Sincerely, Caity Smith, President, Geothermal Rising Action. ____ ORMAT, June 1, 2026. Hon. Mike Johnson, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries: On behalf of Ormat Technologies Inc. (Ormat) I am writing in support of H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act.
Ormat is a vertically integrated global leader in geothermal power, energy storage, solar, and recovered energy generation. Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, Ormat is a leading geothermal company with more than 1,650 employees and over six decades of experience in the geothermal power business. Ormat is a vertically integrated company that designs, develops, manufactures, owns, and operates geothermal power plants all over the world, with a generating portfolio of 1.8 gigawatts. In Nevada, Ormat operates 14 facilities which produce 507 megawatts and employ more than 400 employees. This provides enough power for 325,000 homes, contributes more than $30 million in operations, taxes, and royalties, and avoids 59 million metric tons of CO2 annually.
Ormat has extensive experience developing and producing renewable energy on public lands, with 22 operating facilities utilizing 338,855 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leases in California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah. In 2020 Ormat paid $2.6 million in royalties and almost $1 million in rentals to the BLM.
Ormat strongly supports the permitting reforms in the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act. Specifically, among other measures, the bill would (1) establish deadlines for the issuance of administrative permits that are necessary to commence operations after the environmental review for a geothermal energy project is complete; (2) ensure fair royalty treatment for leases that have multiple projects; and (3) establish a Geothermal Ombudsman at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to serve as a liaison between BLM field offices and the BLM Director and develop best practices for geothermal energy leasing and permitting. All of these reforms would streamline the permitting process for geothermal development and would allow for more energy to be deployed on federal lands.
We strongly support this legislation and urge you to advance these reforms as expeditiously as possible. Sincerely, Erica Freese, Director, Business Development, Ormat Technologies Inc. ____ Zanskar, May 29, 2026. Hon. Mike Johnson, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries: On behalf of Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals, Inc. (``Zanskar''), I write to express our strong support for the Advancing Geothermal Energy Act and the CLEAN Act. We appreciate the House Natural Resources Committee's bipartisan work to advance this practical package of reforms, and we urge the full House to pass these important bills.
Zanskar is an American energy technology company focused on discovering America's hidden geothermal resources and transforming them into baseload, clean power plants. We build artificial intelligence tools that map the Earth's subsurface with a level of precision that, just a decade ago, was considered impossible, and we deploy them through what we believe is the most significant field data collection and drilling campaign for geothermal in American history. Through this work, we are showing that the American age of geothermal discovery is just getting started, and that geothermal development can be systematic, repeatable, and scalable.
Unlocking our nation's geothermal frontier will require real partnership between the public and private sectors, and a practical policy framework to steward American geothermal development on federal lands. Today, developers may spend five to ten years navigating leasing and permitting processes before demonstrating whether a resource is commercially viable. This deters capital and strands projects that should be moving forward.
The bills in this package make practical, long-overdue reforms to help address these barriers, from permitting timelines and leasing consistency to royalty structures and interagency coordination. Together, they take important steps to create the policy framework needed to accelerate our efforts to discover and develop America's geothermal frontier.
Thank you for your leadership on this issue. We welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource to you and your staff as these efforts move forward. Respectfully, Ben Brenner, Director of Federal Affairs, Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals, Inc.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act. At a time when competition with China on AI and data centers is at an all-time high, we cannot afford to fall behind in power generation. Geothermal energy can provide reliable, baseload power throughout the West, as well as other parts of the country, and enhance American energy independence.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsors of the bill included in this bipartisan package for their work to bring this legislation to the floor, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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