HEATS Act

Key Points

• This bill aims to make it faster and easier to start geothermal energy projects. It removes the need for a federal drilling permit if the project is on private or state land and the federal government owns less than half of the underground heat resources.
• Instead of waiting for federal approval, companies would only need a permit from the state where they are working. This change is intended to cut through red tape and reduce the time it takes to get clean energy projects running.
• The plan skips certain federal reviews, including environmental impact studies and endangered species checks. Supporters say this speeds up development, while critics often worry about potential risks to local wildlife or nature.
• The federal government would still collect money from the energy produced. It also keeps the power to inspect these sites to make sure the energy is being measured correctly and the right amount of money is being paid.
• This new rule would not apply to any projects on Indian lands. For those areas, existing federal protections and permit requirements would stay exactly the same.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.