Curtis sponsors bill to end hurdles holding up geothermal projects

To help remove over-regulation of power production projects, U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) on Feb. 15 sponsored legislation that would establish a federal deadline for processing applications related to geothermal leasing. 

“Geothermal is a critical piece of our energy strategy and helps to ensure a future that is affordable, reliable, and clean,” Rep. Curtis said. “This bill ends unnecessary hurdles and supports the development of projects, rewarding innovation to meet our energy needs.”

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has projected that Enhanced Geothermal Systems could contribute up to 60 gigawatts of electricity by 2050, accounting for 8.5 percent of the U.S. generation capacity, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman’s office.

However, developers now face lengthy and costly environmental reviews, and burdensome leasing and permitting processes that result in lengthy timelines that surpass those of other power production projects, the summary states.

Toward solving the issue, Rep. Curtis introduced H.R. 7370, which would force DOE to continue issuing authorizations unless a federal court vacates the underlying lease, the summary says, ensuring that DOE cannot arbitrarily block geothermal projects from moving forward.

H.R. 7370 has been referred to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee for consideration.