Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that exempts certain geothermal activities on state and private lands from drilling permit requirements and other environmental review requirements.

Highlights:

• Exempts certain geothermal activities on state and private lands (except Indian lands) from drilling permit requirements as well as environmental and historic preservation review requirements (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits the Department of the Interior from requiring an operator to obtain a drilling permit under the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 for any geothermal exploration and production activity conducted on a nonfederal surface estate (i.e., the part of the estate that is above ground) if (Sec. 2):

• The United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50% of the subsurface geothermal estate to be accessed by the proposed action; and

• The operator submits to Interior a state permit to conduct the geothermal exploration and production activity on the nonfederal surface estate.

• Specifies that such geothermal exploration and production activity is not considered a major federal action under National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and such activity does not trigger NEPA's environmental review requirements (Sec. 2).

• Exempts such activity from the consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Sec. 2).

• Exempts the activity from review under the National Historic Preservation Act unless the state in which the activity occurs does not have a state law that addresses the preservation of historic properties (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text