Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
In Committee
Summary
Creates a temporary cost-recovery authority allowing the Department of the Interior to require geothermal lease applicants and holders to reimburse processing and monitoring costs. It covers application approvals, exploration and drilling oversight, and runs through September 30, 2032.
Show full summary
- Geothermal developers and leaseholders may have to pay reasonable administrative and inspection costs for applications, drilling, well work, and site or facility operations. The Secretary can reduce fees for economic hardship or to promote greater use and will consider cooperative cost-share agreements.
- Reimbursed amounts are credited to Interior accounts as discretionary offsetting collections and are available only if Congress provides offsets in advance appropriations for processing and monitoring.
- The Secretary must submit a report within five years, developed with industry and other stakeholders, assessing how the changes affected the Bureau of Land Management's geothermal program and recommending whether to reauthorize the authority.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
New processing and inspection fees for geothermal projects
The Interior Department could require geothermal lease applicants and holders to pay back reasonable processing and inspection costs. This would apply from enactment through September 30, 2032. Costs could cover permit processing and related approvals, like drilling permits, site licenses, construction permits, and commercial use permits. They could also cover inspections and monitoring of exploration, drilling and plugging, and the building, operation, and cleanup of well sites and facilities. The Secretary would consider any cost‑share deal and could lower payments for hardship or to promote geothermal use; collected money would go to Interior accounts and could be spent only if Congress later appropriates it.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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