House passes bill to bolster geothermal energy production by increasing lease sale frequency

A bipartisan group of lawmakers passed legislation in the House to bolster geothermal energy production by increasing the frequency of lease sales.

The Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act (CLEAN) passed in the House Tuesday and will amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to require the Department of Interior (DOI) to hold lease sales every year, rather than every two years.

Additionally, the bill seeks to speed up the permit process for lease sales by setting a 30-day deadline for the DOI to notify an applicant if a permit has been approved. 

The bill also requires the DOI hold a replacement sale if a lease sale is canceled or missed.

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Democrats arguing against the bill claimed a 30-day deadline to approve leases did not give the Department of Interior enough time to conduct thorough analysis of the projects.

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The bill was approved by a bipartisan vote, securing the support of 213 Republicans and 31 Democrats.

"Geothermal energy has tremendous potential to provide reliable, clean energy for millions of Americans," Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, who introduced the bill, said in a statement. 

"As nearly 90% of our nation's geothermal resources are located on federally managed lands, I introduced the CLEAN Act to unleash these critical resources by cutting red tape and increasing lease opportunities on federal lands. This legislation will hold the Department of Interior accountable and is key to bolstering domestic energy production, reducing our reliance on foreign adversaries and meeting America’s growing energy demands." 

The Western Caucus also praised the bill's passage.

"Geothermal is an important component of our all of the above energy strategy," said Western Caucus Chairman Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. "I was very pleased to see the passage of the CLEAN Act out of the U.S. House earlier today to help unlock the full potential of geothermal and boost energy production on federal lands across the west. I applaud Congressman Fulcher’s leadership and work on this important issue."