119-hr301

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 301 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 301

 To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for 
 processing applications related to geothermal leasing.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 9, 2025

 Ms. Maloy introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for 
 processing applications related to geothermal leasing.

 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 Opportunity Act'' 
or the ``GEO 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.''.
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