Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2024
Key claim: The bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to charge fees to federal geothermal leaseholders through September 2031 to cover agency costs for processing lease applications and monitoring site activities.
Abstract
(HR7422 · 118th Congress) Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2024 This bill expands the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to give the Department of the Interior the authority to collect certain fees from holders of geothermal leases through September 30, 2031. Specifically, Interior may direct those leaseholders to reimburse the United States for costs from (1) processing applications for geothermal leases on federal land, such as applications for geothermal drilling permits; and (2) monitoring geothermal exploration and development activities, including reclamation activities. Interior may reduce the amount of the fee if it determines that (1) the full reimbursement would impose an economic hardship on the leaseholder, or (2) a less than full reimbursement is necessary to promote the greatest use of geothermal resources. Interior must use those fees for processing applications for geothermal leases and monitoring related exploration and development activities. Within five years of the bill’s enactment, Interior must submit to Congress a report that includes an assessment of how the fees affect Interior’s geothermal leasing program and any recommendations for updates to the fees and the program. Latest action (2024-09-25): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Why this matters
The proposal would place covered federal geothermal lease-processing and monitoring costs on leaseholders through temporary fee authority, linking project expenses to agency permitting and oversight funding. It is an introduced bill, not an established change in fees, and the finding provides no fee amounts or measured effects on permitting timelines or environmental outcomes.