,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eegf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #bf1 #bjbe,mr4 ,fulcher introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,geothermal ,steam ,act of #aigj to promote timely exploration for geothermal resources under geothermal leases1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,enhancing ,geothermal ,production on ,federal ,lands ,act4 #b4 ,geothermal production on ,federal lands ,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 projects 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,geothermal exploration project ,the term geothermal exploration project means the drilling of a temperature gradient well1 monitoring well1 calibration well1 or another geothermal exploratory well1 including construction or making improvements for such activities1 on lands for which the ,secretary has issued a geothermal lease-- 7,a7 that is carried out by the holder of the lease2 7,b7 for which-- 7i7 the last cemented casing string has an outer diameter of less than #acc_/h inches2 and 7ii7 the total unreclaimed surface disturbance at any one time within the project area is less than #h acres1 not including the area of a permanent or temporary access road2 7,c7 that is completed in less than #ahj days1 including the removal of any surface infrastructure from the project area2 and 7,d7 that requires the restoration of the project area within #c years of the date of first exploration drilling to approximately the condition that existed at the time the project began1 unless the project area is subsequently used as part of energy development under the lease4 7#b7 ,covered activity ,the term covered activity includes1 with respect to exploration1 development1 or production 7including direct use7 of geothermal resources-- 7,a7 geotechnical investigations2 7,b7 off-road travel in a right-of-way established by ,congress1 granted by a ,federal agency1 or included in a land use plan2 and 7,c7 construction1 maintenance1 realignment1 and repair of an existing permanent or temporary access road within a right-of-way established by ,congress1 granted by a ,federal agency1 or included in a land use plan4 7b7 ,non-,major ,federal action ,geothermal exploration projects and covered activities shall not be considered major ,federal actions under section #ajb7b77;,c7 of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77;,c774 7c7 ,requirement ,to provide notice ,the holder of a geothermal lease shall provide to the ,secretary notice of their intent to carry out a geothermal exploration project at least #cj days before the start of drilling under the project4 4 #c4 ,geothermal leasing priority areas ,the ,geothermal ,steam ,act of #aigj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 #ca4 ,geothermal leasing priority areas 7a7 ,definition of covered land ,in this section1 the term covered land means land that is-- 7#a7 ,federal land2 and 7#b7 not excluded from the development of geothermal energy under-- 7,a7 a land use plan established under the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agja et seq472 or 7,b7 any other ,federal law4 7b7 ,designation of geothermal leasing priority areas ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,energy1 shall designate portions of covered land as geothermal leasing priority areas as soon as practicable1 but not later than #c years1 after the date of enactment of this section4 7c7 ,criteria for selection ,in determining which covered lands to designate as geothermal leasing priority areas under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,energy1 shall consider if-- 7#a7 the covered land is preferable for geothermal leasing2 7#b7 production of geothermal energy on such land is economically viable1 including if such land has access to methods of energy transmission2 and 7#c7 the designation would be in compliance with section #bjb of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agab71 including subsection 7c77#i7 of such section4 7d7 ,review and modification ,not less frequently than once every #e years1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 review covered land and1 if appropriate1 make additional designations of geothermal leasing priority areas2 and 7#b7 review each area designated as a geothermal leasing priority area under this section1 and1 if appropriate1 remove such designation4 7e7 ,programmatic environmental impact statement 7#a7 ,initial designations ,not later than one year after the initial designation of a geothermal leasing priority area1 the ,secretary shall prepare a supplement to any final programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing that is the most recently finalized such statement with respect to covered land designated as a geothermal leasing priority area under subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,subsequent designations ,each designation of a geothermal leasing priority area under subsection 7b7 shall be included in a programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing or in a supplement to such a statement4 7#c7 ,consultations ,in developing any programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing or supplement to such a statement under this section1 the ,secretary shall consult1 on an ongoing basis1 with appropriate ,state1 ,tribal1 and local governments1 transmission infrastructure owners and operators1 developers1 and other appropriate entities4 7#d7 ,procedure ,the ,secretary may not delay issuing a permit or holding a lease sale under this ,act because the supplement required under paragraph 7#a7 has not been finalized by the ,secretary4 7f7 ,compliance with ,,nepa ,if the designation of a geothermal leasing priority area has been analyzed by a programmatic environmental document-- 7#a7 during the period of #aj years that begins on the date such programmatic environmental document is issued1 the ,secretary shall not prepare any additional analysis under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 with respect to geothermal lease sales for such geothermal leasing priority area unless the ,secretary determines there are substantial new circumstances or information about the significance of adverse effects that bear on the analysis2 and 7#b7 after such period of #aj years1 the ,secretary shall not prepare any additional analysis under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 with respect to geothermal lease sales for such geothermal leasing priority area if the ,secretary reevaluates the analysis in the programmatic environmental document and any underlying assumption to ensure reliance on the analysis remains valid4 4 #d4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 pursuant to section #aji of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccf;c71 as amended by section #cba7;b7 of the ,fiscal ,responsibility ,act of #bjbc 7,public ,law #aah-e71 the ,bureau of ,land ,management announced on ,april #ae1 #bjbd1 it had adopted categorical exclusions from the ,department of the ,navy and the ,united ,states ,forest ,service for geothermal exploration2 and 7#b7 if appropriately used1 these categorical exclusions are expected to expedite the review and approval of geothermal exploration proposals on ,bureau of ,land ,management lands4