Fedorchak votes to unlock geothermal energy, streamline permitting

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) today voted in favor of H.R. 5587, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act, legislation to expand access to geothermal energy projects located on federally owned lands by streamlining permitting and reducing unnecessary barriers.

"Geothermal energy is part of a robust energy mix, but federal red tape has slowed its development," Fedorchak said. "This bill takes a practical step to speed up responsible energy production by recognizing the role of state oversight and cutting duplicative federal reviews. I was pleased to see it passed today with a bipartisan vote and hope the Senate acts soon."

The HEATS Act allows geothermal projects on non-federal surface lands to move forward without a federal drilling permit when the federal government holds less than a 50 percent interest in the subsurface estate and a state permit is in place. The bill also removes certain duplicative federal review requirements, including unnecessary delays under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA), while preserving federal royalty collection and oversight.

The legislation passed the House in a bipartisan 231-186 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

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