Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed 13 House Committee on Natural Resources bills, including ones supporting geothermal energy production, bolstering coastal resiliency efforts, managing forests in the Tahoe Basin and more. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

“In the final legislative weeks of 2024, House Republicans are keeping our foot on the gas and passing a slate of legislation that represents incredible work from the House Committee on Natural Resources. Thoughtful legislation managing our resources well will restore American energy dominance, keep our natural treasures healthy for generations and reduce frustrating red tape that so often plagues our federal government.” 

Background

H.R. 1657, the Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), directs the U.S. Forest Service to exchange land in the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota for land owned by Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC., allowing a local small business permanent access to a lakefront marina, a popular outdoor recreation area.

H.R. 2468, the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), requires the Secretary of the Interior to convey federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, to the state of Utah to facilitate completion of a new road.

H.R. 4094, the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), gives the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) more flexibility in addressing the issues surrounding the Great Salt Lake Basin and water conservation projects. 

H.R. 4596, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Program Reauthorization Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), reauthorizes two successful fish recovery programs that provide Endangered Species Act compliance for more than 2,500 federal and non-federal water projects depleting approximately 3.7 million acre-feet per year in the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Basins.

H.R. 5490, the Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm (BEACH) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), gives congressional approval to modified Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CRBA) maps and makes improvements to CBRA that make it more transparent and flexible.

H.R. 6474, introduced by U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.

H.R. 7370, the Geothermal Energy Opportunity (GEO) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), requires DOI to continue processing geothermal drilling permits for projects that have completed federal review. This would prevent DOI from unnecessarily delaying permits and authorizations when there is no legal wrongdoing.

H.R. 1726, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the state of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death.

H.R. 2950, the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), congressionally authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Coastal Program. Under this program, the USFWS works with partners to provide assistance for habitat restoration projects, habitat protection projects and other related activities in priority coastal areas.

H.R. 5509, the Electronic Permitting Modernization Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), requires the Secretary of the Interior to create and use an electronic system to accept and process applications for permits, forms and other paperwork. 

H.R. 6852, the Holcombe Rucker Park Landmark Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), designates Holcombe Rucker Park as a National Commemorative Site.

H.R. 7422, the Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), provides DOI with explicit authority to charge geothermal leaseholders fees to recover costs for geothermal lease applications, geothermal permits to drill, utilization plans, site licenses, facility construction permits, commercial use permits, other approvals associated with a geothermal lease and monitoring of exploration activities, drilling and plugging of wells, and construction, operation and reclamation of well sites. 

S.612, the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), will support restoration activities around Lake Tahoe by extending the authorization for cooperative authorities and the period of time funding can be spent on fuel reduction, erosion control and reforestation around Lake Tahoe. U.S.  Reps. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), John Duarte (R-Calif.) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) are leading House companion legislation.