IB 

Union Calendar No. 463 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7370 

[Report No. 118–561] 

To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for 

processing applications related to geothermal leasing. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 

Mr. CURTIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources 

JUNE 27, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 15, 2024] 


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•HR 7370 RH

A BILL 

To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish 

a deadline for processing applications related to geothermal leasing. 


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•HR 7370 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Geothermal Energy Op5 portunity Act’’ or the ‘‘GEO Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EFFECT OF PENDING CIVIL ACTIONS ON PROC7 ESSING APPLICATIONS RELATED TO GEO8 THERMAL LEASING. 

9 Section 4 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 

10 U.S.C. 1003) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘(h) EFFECT OF PENDING CIVIL ACTIONS ON PROC12 ESSING APPLICATIONS RELATED TO GEOTHERMAL LEAS13 ING.— 

14 ‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT TO PROCESS APPLICA15 TIONS.—Notwithstanding the existence of any pend16 ing civil action that affects an application for a geo17 thermal drilling permit, sundry notice, notice to pro18 ceed, right-of-way, or any other authorization under 

19 a valid existing geothermal lease, the Secretary shall, 

20 unless a United States Federal court vacates or pro21 vides injunctive relief for the applicable geothermal 

22 lease, geothermal drilling permit, sundry notice, no23 tice to proceed, right-of-way, or other authorization, 

24 approve and issue, or deny, each such application not 

25 later than 60 days after completing all requirements 


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•HR 7370 RH

1 under applicable Federal laws and regulations, in2 cluding the National Environmental Policy Act of 

3 1969, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and divi4 sion A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code. 

5 ‘‘(2) NO NEW AUTHORITY FOR FEDERAL

6 COURTS.—Nothing in this subsection shall be con7 strued as modifying any existing authority of a Fed8 eral court to vacate or provide injunctive relief for a 

9 geothermal lease, geothermal drilling permit, sundry 

10 notice, notice to proceed, right-of-way, or other au11 thorization. 

12 ‘‘(3) DEFINITION OF AUTHORIZATION.—In this 

13 subsection, the term ‘authorization’ means any li14 cense, permit, approval, finding, determination, or 

15 other administrative decision issued by a Federal 

16 agency, or any interagency consultation, that is re17 quired or authorized under Federal law or regulations 

18 in order to site, construct, reconstruct, or commence 

19 operations of a geothermal project administered by a 

20 Federal agency.’’. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS

ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 463 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7370 

[Report No. 118–561] 

A BILL 

To amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to 

related to geothermal leasing. establish a deadline for processing applications 

JUNE 27, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS