,,ii #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dchc ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,april #bc 7legislative day1 ,april #bb71 #bjbf,ms4 ,cortez ,ma/o 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,ris*7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces ,a ,,bill ,to appo9t a ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman & e/abli% a ,geo!rmal ,p]mitt+ ,task ,=ce f )9 ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman = ,national ,deploym5t & ,optimal ,reviews ,act4 #b4 ,geo!rmal ombudsman & p]mitt+ task =ce 7a7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,geo!rmal au?orization ,! t]m geo!rmal au?orization means any lic5se1 p]mit1 approval1 f9d+1 det]m9ation1 or o!r adm9i/rative decision issu$ by ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t & any int]ag5cy consultation t is requir$ or au?oriz$ "u ,f$]al law 9 ord] to site1 con/ruct1 recon/ruct1 or comm5ce op]ations ( a geo!rmal en]gy project adm9i/]$ by ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t4 7#b7 ,geo!rmal en]gy project ,! t]m geo!rmal en]gy project means a project :olly or p>tially locat$ on public l& t uses geo!rmal en]gy to g5]ate heat or electricity4 7#c7 ,public ,l& ,! t]m public l& means l&s subject to geo!rmal leas+ "u section #c ( ! ,geo!rmal ,/eam ,act ( #aigj 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb74 7#d7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior4 7#e7 ,task =ce ,! t]m ,task ,=ce means ! ,geo!rmal ,p]mitt+ ,task ,=ce e/abli%$ "u subsection 7c74 7b7 ,geo!rmal ombudsman 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all appo9t f )9 ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t a ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman4 7#b7 ,duties ,! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman appo9t$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all-- 7,a7 act z a liaison betwe5-- 7i7 ! individual field1 di/rict1 & ,/ate (fices ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t2 7ii7 ! ,division ,*ief ( ! ,national ,r5ewable ,en]gy ,coord9ation ,(fice ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t2 & 7iii7 ! ,director ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t2 7,b7 provide dispute resolution s]vices betwe5 ! individual field1 di/rict1 & ,/ate (fices ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t & applicants = geo!rmal au?orizations2 7,c7 monitor & facilitate p]mit process+ practices & timel9es across individual field (fices ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t2 7,d7 develop be/ practices = ! p]mitt+ & leas+ process = geo!rmal res\rces2 & 7,e7 coord9ate ) ! ,f$]al ,p]mitt+ ,improvem5t ,/e]+ ,c\ncil4 7c7 ,geo!rmal p]mitt+ task =ce 7#a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,n lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all e/abli% )9 ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t a ,geo!rmal ,p]mitt+ ,task ,=ce4 7#b7 ,lead]%ip ,! ,task ,=ce %all be head$ by ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman appo9t$ "u subsection 7b74 7#c7 ,p]mitt+ support ,! ,task ,=ce %all support ! duties ( ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman appo9t$ "u subsection 7b74 7#d7 ,cross-(fice p]sonnel assignm5ts 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 _! capacity z head ( ! ,task ,=ce1 ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman may coord9ate ) any ,dep>tm5tal bureau or (fice to assign p]sonnel ) relevant exp]tise to assi/ ) completion ( geo!rmal au?orizations 9 field1 di/rict1 or ,/ate (fices o!r ?an ! (ficial duty /ation :]e su* p]sonnel are locat$ if-- 7i7 ! ,dep>tm5tal bureau or (fice det]m9es t su* assignm5t w n mat]ially delay ongo+ completion ( au?orizations )9 ! (fice :]e ! employee is locat$2 & 7ii7 approval is receiv$ f ! head ( ! (ficial duty /ation :]e ! assign$ employee is locat$4 7,b7 ,assign$ p]sonnel requirem5ts ,dep>tm5t p]sonnel assign$ to assi/ ) completion ( geo!rmal au?orizations "u subp>agraph 7,a7 %all-- 7i7 "w 9-p]son full-"t at an (ficial ,dep>tm5t (fice2 7ii7 if necess>y z det]m9$ by ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman1 travel to ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t field1 di/rict1 or ,/ate (fice ) jurisdiction ov] ! geo!rmal au?orization to :i* ! employee has be5 assign$ by ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman2 7iii7 p>ticipate z "p ( ! team ( p]sonnel work+ on geo!rmal au?orizations to :i* ! employee has be5 assign$ by ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman2 & 7iv7 regul>ly report to ! head ( ! field1 di/rict1 or ,/ate (fice ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t ) jurisdiction ov] geo!rmal au?orizations to :i* ! employee has be5 assign$ by ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman4 7,c7 ,ret5tion all[ances 7i7 ,9 g5]al ,subject to ! availability ( appropriations1 ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman may pay a ret5tion all[ance to an employee assign$ to assi/ ) ! completion ( geo!rmal au?orizations "u subp>agraph 7,a74 ,ret5tion all[ances-- 7,i7 %all be /at$ z ! p]c5tage ( ! rate ( basic pay ( an employee1 & may n exce$ #be p]c5t ( su* rate ( basic pay2 7,,ii7 may n be consid]$ to be "p ( ! basic pay ( an employee1 & ! r$uction or elim9ation ( a ret5tion all[ance may n be appeal$2 & 7,,iii7 %all be paid at ! same "t & 9 ! same mann] z ! employee's basic pay is paid4 7ii7 ,consid]ations ,9 ex]cis+ ! ret5tion all[ance au?ority describ$ 9 clause 7i71 ! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman %all consid]-- 7,i7 an employee's specializ$ exp]tise relat$ to geo!rmal au?orizations2 7,,ii7 ! demon/rat$ ne$ to reta9 an employee to meet ! p]=mance improvem5t objectives = geo!rmal au?orization timel9es & develop be/ practices = completion ( geo!rmal au?orizations2 & 7,,iii7 ! difficulty 9 recruit+ or replac+ qualifi$ p]sonnel ) relevant exp]tise relat$ to geo!rmal au?orizations4 7,d7 ,sav+s clause ,cross-(fice p]sonnel assignm5ts c>ri$ out "u ?is p>agraph %all n alt] ! und]ly+ jurisdiction ( o!r (fices ( ! ,bureau ( ,l& ,managem5t ov] applicable geo!rmal au?orizations4 7d7 ,report ,! ,geo!rmal ,ombudsman %all submit to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,natural ,res\rces ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives an annual report t describes ! activities ( ! ,task ,=ce & evaluates ! effectiv5ess ( geo!rmal p]mit process+ dur+ ! prec$+ #a-ye> p]iod4