,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #efb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #be1 #bjae ,mr4 ,heller 7for himself and ,mr4 ,risch7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to promote exploration for geothermal resources1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,geothermal ,exploration ,opportunities ,act of #bjae4 #b4 ,geothermal exploration test projects ,the ,geothermal ,steam ,act of #aigj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #cj4 ,geothermal exploration test projects 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered land ,the term covered land means land that is-- 7,a7 7i7 public land administered by the ,secretary2 or 7ii7 ,national ,forest ,system land administered by the ,secretary of ,agriculture2 and 7,b7 not excluded from the development of geothermal energy under-- 7i7 a final land use plan established under the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq472 7ii7 a final land and resource management plan established under the ,national ,forest ,management ,act of #aigf 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afjj et seq472 or 7iii7 any other applicable law4 7#b7 ,secretary concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture 7acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service71 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary1 with respect to land managed by the ,bureau of ,land ,management 7including land held for the benefit of an ,indian tribe74 7b7 ,,nepa review of geothermal exploration test projects 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible activity described in paragraph 7#b7 carried out on covered land shall be considered an action categorically excluded from the requirements for an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 or section #aejh4d of title #dj1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or a successor regulation7 if-- 7,a7 the action is for the purpose of geothermal resource exploration operations2 and 7,b7 the action is conducted pursuant to this ,act4 7#b7 ,eligible activity ,an eligible activity referred to in paragraph 7#a7 is-- 7,a7 a geophysical exploration activity that does not require drilling1 including a seismic survey2 7,b7 the drilling of a well to test or explore for geothermal resources on land leased by the ,secretary concerned for the development and production of geothermal resources that-- 7i7 is carried out by the holder of the lease2 7ii7 causes-- 7,i7 fewer than #e acres of soil or vegetation disruption at the location of each geothermal exploration well2 and 7,,ii7 not more than an additional #e acres of soil or vegetation disruption during access or egress to the project site2 7iii7 is completed in fewer than #ij days1 including the removal of any surface infrastructure from the project site2 and 7iv7 requires the restoration of the project site not later than #c years after the date of completion of the project to approximately the condition that existed at the time the project began1 unless-- 7,i7 the project site is subsequently used as part of energy development on the lease2 or 7,,ii7 the project-- 7aa7 yields geothermal resources2 and 7bb7 the use of the geothermal resources will be carried out under another geothermal generation project in existence at the time of the discovery of the geothermal resources2 or 7,c7 the drilling of a well to test or explore for geothermal resources on land leased by the ,secretary concerned for the development and production of geothermal resources that-- 7i7 causes an individual surface disturbance of fewer than #e acres if-- 7,i7 the total surface disturbance on the leased land is not more than #aej acres2 and 7,,ii7 a site-specific analysis has been prepared under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq472 7ii7 involves the drilling of a geothermal well at a location or well pad site at which drilling has occurred within #e years before the date of spudding the well2 or 7iii7 involves the drilling of a geothermal well in a developed field for which-- 7,i7 an approved land use plan or any environmental document prepared under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 analyzed the drilling as a reasonably foreseeable activity2 and 7,,ii7 the land use plan or environmental document was approved within #aj years before the date of spudding the well4 7#c7 ,limitation based on extraordinary circumstances ,the categorical exclusion established under paragraph 7#a7 shall be subject to extraordinary circumstances in accordance with the ,departmental ,manual1 #eaf ,,dm #b4c;,a7#c7 and #eaf ,,dm #b1 ,appendix #b 7or successor provisions74 7c7 ,notice of intent2 review and determination 7#a7 ,requirement to provide notice ,not later than #cj days before the date on which drilling begins1 a leaseholder intending to carry out an eligible activity shall provide notice to the ,secretary concerned4 7#b7 ,review of project ,not later than #aj days after receipt of a notice of intent provided under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary concerned shall-- 7,a7 review the project described in the notice and determine whether the project is an eligible activity2 and 7,b7 7i7 if the project is an eligible activity1 notify the leaseholder that under subsection 7b71 the project is considered a categorical exclusion under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 and section #aejh4d of title #dj1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or a successor regulation72 or 7ii7 if the project is not an eligible activity-- 7,i7 notify the leaseholder that section #ajb7b77;,c7 of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77;,c77 applies to the project2 7,,ii7 include in that notification clear and detailed findings on any deficiencies in the project that prevent the application of subsection 7b7 to the project2 and 7,,iii7 provide an opportunity to the leaseholder to remedy the deficiencies described in the notification before the date on which the leaseholder plans to begin the project under paragraph 7#a74 4