What is the current status of HR 5631?

HR 5631 is currently: In Senate.

Who sponsored HR 5631?

HR 5631 was sponsored by Jeff Hurd (R), Rep.

Speeds Up Geothermal Drilling Permits on Federal Land

IntroducedSeptember 30, 2025

In the Senate1 month ago

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Ready for a Senate vote.

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EnergyAdvisory bodiesCongressional oversightDepartment of the InteriorEarth sciencesGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementLicensing and registrations

Why This Matters

This bill makes it faster to develop geothermal power plants on federal land by speeding up permit decisions, loosening some environmental review steps, and extending lower royalty payments for new plants. It also creates a permitting troubleshooter at the Bureau of Land Management and requires updated federal guidelines (the 'Gold Book') for geothermal operations.

If you sue to stop a geothermal project on public land, the permit can still be approved or denied within 60 days after reviews are finished, unless a federal court vacates or blocks it.

Who this affects

Geothermal energy companies · Bureau of Land Management staff · Residents near public lands · Environmental groups filing lawsuits

What this bill changes

1Requires the Interior Department to approve or deny geothermal permits within 60 days after required environmental reviews, even if a lawsuit is pending, unless a court blocks it.
2Lets certain geothermal drilling skip full environmental review, using shortcuts current law already gives oil and gas drilling, such as drilling at sites drilled within the past 5 years.
3Gives each new power plant its own 10 years at the reduced royalty rate (1% to 2.5% of electricity sales instead of 2% to 5%), counted from when it starts operating.

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Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act This bill establishes a geothermal ombudsman and task force to oversee geothermal project permitting and authorizations on federal land. The Department of the Interior must appoint a geothermal ombudsman from within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The ombudsman must act as a liaison among different parts of BLM, provide dispute resolution services between BLM and geothermal project applicants, and facilitate permit processing in different BLM field offices regarding geothermal projects on federal land. The ombudsman must also lead the Geothermal Permitting Task Force established by this bill. The task force must support the ombudsman’s duties. Through the task force, the ombudsman may reassign employees from other Interior bureaus or offices to assist in the completion of geothermal authorizations. The ombudsman may pay a retention allowance to reassigned employees.

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