This week, the House Rules Committee voted on the terms for floor debate on H.R. 1449, the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now (CLEAN) Act, which aims to increase geothermal lease sales, and passed H.R. 7409, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act.
H.R. 1449, introduced by Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID-1) in March 2023, “requires the Department of the Interior to increase the frequency of lease sales under the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 and establishes deadlines for considering geothermal drilling permits.” The House Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4), approved the bill by a voice vote in December. This week, the House Rules Committee voted on a resolution to consider H.R. 1449 under a structured rule, which limits the amendments that can be debated on the House floor.
The Fulcher bill was part of H.R. 1, the House Republicans’ energy and permitting package, which is expected to serve as the blueprint for permitting reform in 2025. Last week, the House also approved Rep. Young Kim’s (R-CA-40) H.R. 7409, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act, which would “exempt certain geothermal activities on state and private lands from drilling permit requirements.” The HEATS Act is now in the Senate, where it has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Several Energy Workforce member companies are currently involved in geothermal projects both in North America and internationally. There are significant overlaps between the technologies used in geothermal and traditional oil and gas drilling, making geothermal a natural fit for energy service and technology companies. Previously, Energy Workforce collaborated with Colorado Governor Jared Polis on the Western Governors’ Association’s “Heat Beneath Our Feet” initiative, which aimed to explore opportunities and challenges in advancing geothermal technologies.
More recently, the Energy Technologies Committee hosted a geothermal panel during its January seminar featuring Tim Latimer from Fervo Energy, Chris Miller from H&P Ventures, and Sri Srinivasan from Halliburton, moderated by Vinu Iyengar from Piper Sandler. The panel discussed how oil and gas technologies can be applied to geothermal drilling, current challenges, and future prospects.
For those interested in engaging further with the Energy Technologies Committee, please contact VP of Energy Policy, Maria Suarez-Simmons.
Maria Suarez-Simmons, Senior Director Energy Policy, writes about industry-specific policies for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
