H.R. 5631

Geothermal Energy Advancement Act

Sponsor: Jeff Hurd · 5 cosponsors

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Where it stands

Introduced Sep 30
Committee Mar 5
House of Representatives Jun 2
Senate Now
Law —

Introduced Sep 30
Committee Mar 5
House of Representatives Jun 2
Senate Now
Law —

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 663. (Sep 17)

Votes

No roll-call votes yet.

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act

This bill establishes a geothermal ombudsman and task force to oversee geothermal project permitting and authorizations on federal land.

The Department of the Interior must appoint a geothermal ombudsman from within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The ombudsman must act as a liaison among different parts of BLM, provide dispute resolution services between BLM and geothermal project applicants, and facilitate permit processing in different BLM field offices regarding geothermal projects on federal land.

The ombudsman must also lead the Geothermal Permitting Task Force established by this bill. The task force must support the ombudsman’s duties. Through the task force, the ombudsman may reassign employees from other Interior bureaus or offices to assist in the completion of geothermal authorizations. The ombudsman may pay a retention allowance to reassigned employees.

Text of the bill

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Sec. 1. Short title Changed · Jun 2

Sec. 2. Effect of pending civil actions on processing applications related to geothermal leasing Added Jun 2

Sec. 3. Cost recovery from geothermal leasing, permitting, and inspections Added Jun 2

Sec. 4. Report Added Jun 2

Sec. 5. Publication of Gold Book for geothermal operations on Federal lands Added Jun 2

Sec. 6. Geothermal ombudsman and permitting task force Changed · May 20

Sec. 7. Geothermal royalties Added Jun 2

Sec. 8. NEPA review Added Jun 2

Where this section came from

Not in the first version (Introduced in House, Sep 30).

Jun 2, 2026 · Engrossed in House

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.