HR-5631 — Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act

YourVoice.Now Summary

Corporate BenefitsWorkers & JobsEnvironmentTransparency & Accountability

Permits to tap underground heat on public land would move faster — with less review, and new costs for drillers.

Corporate Benefits

Deadline for geothermal permit decisions — 60 days, even during lawsuits

Once all required reviews are finished, the Interior Department would have 60 days to approve or deny a permit. A pending court case would not stop that clock, though a judge could still halt the project.

Single BLM contact for geothermal permits — handles disputes with developers

The Bureau of Land Management would name a geothermal ombudsman within 60 days of the law taking effect. This person would work out disagreements between BLM field offices and permit applicants, and watch how long each office takes.

Discounted royalties per geothermal plant — 10 years from startup

Companies pay the government a share of the power they sell from public land, and that share starts low for 10 years. Today those 10 years run from first production under the lease. They would instead run from the day each power plant opens.

Government covering geothermal permit costs — companies may be billed instead

Interior could require geothermal leaseholders to repay what the government spends handling their applications and inspecting their wells. The department could charge less if paying in full would cause the company hardship.

Workers & Jobs

Interior staff assigned to other offices — must work in person

The ombudsman could borrow staff from other Interior offices to help finish geothermal approvals. Their home office would have to agree first, and they would work in person full time, traveling when needed.

Bonus pay for assigned geothermal staff — up to 25% more

Borrowed employees could get extra pay worth up to a quarter of their base salary. The money depends on Congress providing funds, and it does not count as part of base pay.

Appeals over losing the extra pay — none allowed for staff

If the ombudsman cuts or ends that extra pay, the employee could not appeal the decision. Base pay itself would not change.

Environment

Public rulebook for geothermal drilling — updates a 2007 guide

Interior would write down standard steps for geothermal leasing and drilling. They would go into an updated version of the “Gold Book,” the surface work guide last revised in 2007 for oil and gas.

Environmental reviews for some geothermal drilling — oil-and-gas shortcut extended

A 2005 energy law lets certain oil and gas work skip a full environmental study. Geothermal exploration and development would qualify for that same shortcut.

Transparency & Accountability

Public report on the new charges — due within five years

Within five years, Interior would report on how the new charges affected its geothermal program. The report would go to two congressional committees and be posted on the department’s website.

Built-in expiration on the new charges — ends September 30, 2033

The power to bill companies for permit and inspection costs would run out on September 30, 2033. Congress would have to act again to keep it in place.

More about this bill

Most households would see no change in daily life. The effects land on companies that tap underground heat for power on public land. Land managers would have to approve or deny their drilling permits within 60 days. That clock starts once all required reviews are done. It would keep running even while a lawsuit is pending, though courts could still pause a project. Some geothermal drilling could also skip a full environmental study, using a shortcut written for oil and gas. A new geothermal ombudsman would work inside the Bureau of Land Management, the agency that runs federal public land. The ombudsman would settle permit disputes with developers and track how long approvals take. The agency could bill companies for the cost of handling permits and checking well sites, through September 30, 2033. Companies pay the government a share of the power they sell from public land. That share starts low for 10 years. Those 10 years would restart with each new plant, instead of running once per lease.

Congressional Summary

Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews ActThis 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.

Legislative Subjects

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

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: House
Status: summarized
Action: Reported to House
Action Date: 2026-05-20
Date Added: 2026-05-30
Source: Congress.gov →

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