Amending the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to Expedite Geothermal Exploration and Development in Previously Studied or Developed Areas

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6474) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6474

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. NEPA REVIEW.

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''.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. 6474, the bill now under consideration.

I rise today in support of H.R. 6474, which will amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.

First, I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Steel, for all the good work she has done on this issue.

Duplicative leasing and the permitting process for geothermal development result in timelines longer than those of many other energy projects. With such a high potential for geothermal access across the country, it is imperative we enact pragmatic reform to give all energy industries the same opportunity.

Categorical exclusions, or CEs, expedite the NEPA process for energy projects when the area being disturbed has already undergone environmental review.

Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 granted five different CEs to expedite the development of oil and gas projects.

It is necessary that these fees also apply to geothermal exploration and development because the processes utilized by these two industries are very similar, as is the technology and equipment used to drill.

Establishing categorical exclusions for geothermal energy in areas with existing production or areas that have been recently studied is a responsible way to increase the utilization of geothermal energy, expediting the permitting process without reducing environmental standards.

This bill would expedite the approval process for certain geothermal projects by adding geothermal energy development to section 390.

Again, I applaud my colleague, Mrs. Steel, for this commonsense and bipartisan bill.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from California (Mrs. Steel) for working across the aisle in this bipartisan, all-of-the-above energy bill. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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