Cortez Masto, Risch Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Streamline the Geothermal Permitting Process

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced legislation to streamline geothermal permitting on federal land. The Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act would direct the Secretary of the Interior to appoint a geothermal ombudsman and create a Geothermal Permitting Task Force.

"Nevada could produce 30 times more geothermal power than it currently does," said Senator Cortez Masto. "Unfortunately, bureaucratic delays have slowed down the geothermal permitting process, raising energy costs and preventing the Silver State from diversifying its energy grid. This needed fix will help states across the country harness untapped geothermal potential."

"Geothermal energy in Idaho, and across much of the West, has significant potential, but projects are subject to lengthy review processes," said Senator Risch. "This bill creates a Geothermal Ombudsman to streamline the permitting timeline and ensure Idaho's resources are used to their full capacity."

Reviews for Geothermal Drilling Permits and other geothermal authorizations are managed by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field offices with jurisdiction over federal land where a given project is located. For example, in Nevada, geothermal permitting responsibilities are divided between six different field offices. Currently, there is no streamlined mechanism for different BLM field offices and state offices to coordinate about geothermal permitting. Cortez Masto and Risch's bipartisan bill would create a team to find solutions to geothermal permitting issues.

Specifically, the geothermal ombudsman would be directed to:

• Act as a liaison between BLM field, district, and state offices, the Division Chief of the National Renewable Energy Coordination Office and BLM, and the Director of the BLM;
• Provide dispute resolution services between various BLM offices and geothermal development applicants;
• Monitor and facilitate permit processing practices and timelines across individual BLM field offices;
• Develop best practices for the permitting and leasing process for geothermal resources; and
• Lead the Geothermal Permitting Task force and assign personnel with relevant experience from to help complete geothermal authorizations within BLM offices.

"Inconsistent and uncertain permitting across BLM field offices is one of the single greatest barriers to commercial geothermal deployment. This bipartisan legislation will enhance certainty and investor confidence with improved coordination between permitting offices, standardization, and expertise-sharing that are needed to move geothermal projects forward efficiently and predictably. Geothermal Rising Action commends Senators Cortez Masto and Risch for their leadership," said Caity Smith, President of Geothermal Rising Action.

"The Geothermal Ombudsman Act delivers clarity by improving coordination between state-level BLM offices and the national BLM office, helping projects move forward with greater certainty and efficiency. By establishing a Geothermal Permitting Task Force, the Act brings a practical, collaborative approach to permitting, getting the right experts involved earlier, resolving challenges more efficiently, and making the best use of our resources and agency time," said Marisol Collons, Communications and Government Affairs Manager at Ormat Technologies.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Senator Cortez Masto is a champion of Nevada's renewable energy industry, including geothermal. She has introduced bipartisan legislation to promote geothermal exploration and development. Cortez Masto supported a permitting reform package that would have accelerated geothermal projects across Nevada. She recently met with leaders at Ormat Technologies in Northern Nevada to discuss her work in the geothermal space. Cortez Masto has delivered millions in funding to support solar projects in Nevada and has fought against Trump's efforts to gut the industry.

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