Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110
§2917 Development of Geothermal Energy on Military Lands
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART IV — SERVICE, SUPPLY, AND PROPERTY › CHAPTER 173 — ENERGY SECURITY › SUBCHAPTER I — ENERGY SECURITY ACTIVITIES › § 2917
Summary
Military department secretaries may allow geothermal development on lands they control, including public lands, for DoD if they decide it is in the public interest and won't stop commercial leasing or use of other parts of the resource. Projects must consider energy security in their design.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §2917
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Development Authorized.—
The Secretary of a military department may develop, or authorize the development of, any geothermal energy resource within lands under the Secretary’s jurisdiction, including public lands, for the use or benefit of the Department of Defense if that development is in the public interest, as determined by the Secretary concerned, and will not deter commercial development and use of other portions of such resource if offered for leasing.
(b)Consideration of Energy Security.—
The development of a geothermal energy project under subsection (a) should include consideration of energy security in the design and development of the project.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2011—Pub. L. 112–81 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b). 2006—Pub. L. 109–364 renumbered section 2689 of this title as this section.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1982, and applicable to military
Construction
projects, and to
Construction
and acquisition of military family housing authorized before, on, or after such date, see section 12(a) of Pub. L. 97–214, set out as a note under section 2801 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 2917
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110