H.R. 5617 — Introduced in House

I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5617 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 30, 2025Ms. Ansari (for herself and Mr. Huffman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To direct the Department of the Interior to identify and publish standard procedures and guidelines for geothermal leasing and permit issuance for environmentally responsible geothermal operations on Federal lands. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Geothermal Gold Book Development Act. 2. Publication of Gold Book for geothermal operations on Federal lands (a) Identification Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Department of the Interior, in consultation with other relevant Federal agencies, shall identify standard procedures and guidelines for efficient and environmentally responsible geothermal leasing and permitting. (b) Publication Not later than 180 days after identifying standard procedures and guidelines under subsection (a), the Department of the Interior shall publish a Gold Book containing such standard procedures and guidelines for use by the field offices of the Bureau of Land Management and geothermal operators. (c) Consultation Before publishing the Gold Book, the Department of the Interior shall consult with— (1) other relevant Federal agencies, including field offices of the Bureau of Land Management; and (2) outside stakeholders, including developers and other experts. (d) Inclusions The Gold Book shall include standard procedures and guidelines for— (1) land use planning and geothermal lease sales; and (2) ensuring the efficient review and approval of environmentally responsible geothermal development, including— (A) exploration and geophysical operations; (B) permitting lease operations; (C) compliance with all applicable laws and regulations; (D) construction and maintenance; (E) drilling and production operations; (F) appeals; and (G) relevant categorical exclusions available at each stage. (e) Periodic revision The Department of the Interior shall— (1) at least once every five years, review the Gold Book; and (2) as necessary, revise the Gold Book.