House Advances Legislation to Unleash Geothermal Energy, Encourage Outdoor Recreation, Support Tribes

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives advanced legislation to support geothermal energy production, enhance recreational opportunities in the southeast, support Alaska Natives and Indian tribes, improve water infrastructure and more. Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today, the House passed a wide range of House Committee on Natural Resources bills that will support America's rural communities. We passed a bipartisan package to make it easier to develop geothermal energy sources, allowing more affordable and reliable energy onto the grid. We also advanced legislation to support Alaska Natives and Indian tribes from Alaska to South Carolina, provide for improved recreational opportunities in the southeastern United States and improve water infrastructure in Colorado. I encourage the Senate to act soon."

Background

H.R. 41, the Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to allow Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee and Wrangell to organize into Alaska Native urban corporations and each select one township in Southeast Alaska within the Tongass National Forest.

H.R. 1687, the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now (CLEAN) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to require the Secretary of the Interior to hold geothermal energy lease sales annually. It also implements timelines for permit applications.

H.R. 2768, the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), amends the National Trails System Act to authorize a study on the feasibility of designating the Benton MacKaye Trail, which runs through Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina, as a National Scenic Trail.

H.R. 3831, the Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), will support safer recreational uses of the ocean by aligning state and federal laws related to shark feeding by extending the existing state ban on shark feeding to the Exclusive Economic Zone seaward of the state of Florida.

H.R. 4463, introduced by U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), amends the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993 by removing a provision that sets limits on tribal membership, leaving membership determinations to the Catawba Indian Nation's Constitution.

H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), includes the text of six bipartisan pieces of legislation to unleash geothermal energy, including:

• H.R. 301, the Geothermal Energy Opportunity (GEO) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), requires the Department of the Interior (DOI) to process all geothermal authorizations within 60 days of completing an environmental review.
• H.R. 5631, the Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), appoints a Geothermal Ombudsman from within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to liaise between field offices and the BLM Director. The Ombudsman would provide dispute resolution services, monitor permit processing, develop best practices and coordinate with other federal agencies. It also establishes a Geothermal Permitting Task Force comprising expert personnel from any DOI bureau or office, selected by the Ombudsman.
• H.R. 5638, the Geothermal Royalty Reform Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah), clarifies that geothermal facilities on the same lease pay royalties based on each individual facility's time in service.
• H.R. 398, the Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), gives DOI authority to collect certain fees regarding the processing of applications for geothermal leases on federal lands and inspection and monitoring of geothermal exploration and development activities.
• H.R. 1077, the Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms (STEAM) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep Susie Lee (D-Nev.), extends NEPA categorical exclusions available to oil and gas activities to geothermal development on certain lands.
• H.R. 5617, the Geothermal Gold Book Development Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), would provide guidance to agency staff by requiring BLM to publish best practices for geothermal leasing and permitting.

H.R. 5682, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), places 860 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) into trust for the Pechanga Band of Indians.

H.R. 5911, the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), conveys to Ouray, Colo., the Crystal Reservoir, Full Moon Dam and Ditch and 45 acres of surrounding land necessary to the Reservoir's operation and maintenance. This will empower the city to maintain the reservoir, which is critical for wildfire suppression and response activities, outdoor recreation and providing water for the city's growing population.

H.R. 7250, introduced by U.S. Rep. Troy Downing (R-Mont.), supports the development and maintenance of critical rural water infrastructure in northeastern Montana by reauthorizing the Fort Peck Rural Water System Act of 2000.

H.R. 7831, the License to Drill Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy (R-Utah), reauthorizes BLM's authority to collect oil and gas processing fees for new Applications for Permit to Drill. These fees are transferred to the Permit Processing Improvement Fund, which ensures the BLM has adequate resources to process permits in a timely fashion.

H.R. 3922, the Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on wildfire mitigation efforts across federal and non-federal lands.