As the U.S. government intensifies efforts to promote the adoption of Next-Generation Geothermal, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it is seeking to speed up permitting on federal land.
Historically, geothermal initiatives faced extensive federal reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. On April 15 BLM said it would integrate two established categorical exclusions into its evaluation framework. These exclusions will streamline the review process for geothermal projects, potentially facilitating next-generation geothermal exploration and adaptation efforts. Notably, these exclusions have already been successfully implemented by the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Navy.
While commended by experts in the industry, many are expressing that further federal action is necessary to fully expedite the deployment of this energy source.
Eavor Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs Jeanine Vany said that while the BLM announcement “move[s] the needle in the right direction,” she underscored that a legislative solution, specifically the Geothermal Energy Optimization (GEO) Act, would be “much more comprehensive and would be longer lasting.” Aidan Mackenzie, a fellow at the Institute for Progress, agreed with the notion that more legislation like the GEO Act is needed to truly have an impact on geothermal deployment.
The Geothermal Energy Optimization (GEO) Act of 2024 introduced by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), James Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) will:
- Establish permitting parity for geothermal technologies by introducing a categorical exclusion specifically for exploration drilling and well-field development, streamlining the environmental review process;
- Create a Geothermal Ombudsman and Strike Team to provide technical assistance and mediation for dispute resolution, ensuring efficient project development; and
- Set new targets for geothermal leases on federal lands and mandate that the Bureau of Land Management hold auctions more frequently, aiming to expedite the leasing process and encourage geothermal development.
Senator Heinrich (New Mexico) told Heatmap that passing the GEO Act is critical.
“BLM is right to scale up geothermal production,” said Senator Heinrich, but “Congress should pass my GEO Act to take us a step further in fully harnessing the power of geothermal.”
