GEO Act

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

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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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