Geothermal Gold Book Development Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Interior Department to create a geothermal version of the Bureau of Land Management Gold Book, the federal guidance used for surface operating standards on public lands. The current reported text requires the Interior Secretary, after consulting relevant federal agencies, to identify standard procedures and guidelines for efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting where those procedures are not already addressed in the existing oil and gas Gold Book.
Within 270 days after identifying the procedures, Interior must publish an updated Gold Book that incorporates changes needed for geothermal leasing and permitting. The guidance must be useful to BLM field offices and geothermal operators. It must cover exploration and geophysical operations, lease-operation permitting, compliance with applicable laws, construction and maintenance, and drilling, production, and utilization operations. Interior must consult BLM field offices, other agencies, developers, and experts before publication, rename the Gold Book to reflect geothermal content, and review the most recent version at least once every five years.
Who Benefits and How
Geothermal developers benefit from a consolidated federal guide for leasing, permitting, and operating on public lands. Geothermal permit applicants benefit if BLM field offices use more consistent procedures for exploration, drilling, production, and utilization approvals. BLM field offices benefit from updated guidance tailored to geothermal projects instead of relying mainly on oil and gas procedures. Electric utilities seeking geothermal power benefit if permitting becomes more predictable. Interior geothermal policy staff benefit from a recurring five-year review process.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Interior geothermal policy staff must identify procedures, consult with agencies and outside experts, publish the updated Gold Book, rename the guide, and keep it current. BLM field offices must apply the new geothermal procedures and participate in consultation. Environmental review staff must ensure faster guidance still complies with environmental and public-land laws. Conservation groups must monitor implementation because clearer procedures can accelerate project reviews. Geothermal operators must still comply with the Gold Book procedures once published.
Key Provisions
- Requires Interior to identify standard procedures for efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting.
- Directs Interior to publish an updated Gold Book within 270 days after identifying those procedures.
- Requires consultation with BLM field offices, other federal agencies, developers, and experts before publication.
- Requires the Gold Book to cover exploration, permitting, compliance, construction, drilling, production, and utilization operations.
- Requires Interior to review the most recent Gold Book at least once every five years and update it when necessary.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires Interior to identify and publish geothermal leasing and permitting procedures in an updated Gold Book for BLM field offices and geothermal operators, consult with agencies and outside experts, cover exploration through drilling and production operations, and review the guidance at least every five years.
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Public Lands, Permitting, Environment
Primary Purpose
Requires Interior to identify and publish geothermal leasing and permitting procedures in an updated Gold Book for BLM field offices and geothermal operators, consult with agencies and outside experts, cover exploration through drilling and production operations, and review the guidance at least every five years.
Policy Domains
House resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Geothermal developers
- Geothermal permit applicants
- BLM field offices
- Electric utilities seeking geothermal power
- Interior geothermal policy staff
Identified Costs
- Interior geothermal policy staff
- BLM field offices
- Environmental review staff
- Conservation groups
- Geothermal operators
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedPlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 573.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. …
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the …
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute …
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
BLM field offices, BLM permitting staff, Interior geothermal policy staff
Positive-direction: BLM field offices
Negative-direction: BLM permitting staff, Interior geothermal policy staff
Conservation groups tracking geothermal permits, Environmental review staff
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "blm"
- → Bureau of Land Management
- "interior"
- → Department of the Interior
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology