Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2026

New fees for geothermal lease applicants

This bill would allow the Secretary of the Interior to require applicants for, or holders of, geothermal leases to reimburse the United States for reasonable administrative and inspection costs. The authority would run from the date of enactment through September 30, 2032. Reimbursable processing includes lease applications and related approvals like operations plans, drilling permits, utilization plans, site licenses, and facility permits. Reimbursable inspections and monitoring include geophysical exploration; drilling, plugging, and abandonment of wells; and construction, operation, termination, and reclamation of well sites or facilities. The Secretary would have to consider existing cooperative cost-share agreements and could reduce required reimbursements for economic hardship or to promote greatest use. Amounts collected would be credited to the Department of the Interior as discretionary offsetting collections and would only be available if Congress provides advance appropriations. Not later than five years after enactment, the Secretary would report to the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on how this authority affected the Bureau of Land Management’s geothermal program and recommend whether to reauthorize or change the authority.