Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a House Committee on Natural Resources bill that increases domestic energy production and supports geothermal energy development in the United States. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"As global energy demand continues to rise, House Republicans are committed to supporting an all of the above energy future. We must ensure our energy needs are met right here at home, and today's CLEAN Act is a major step forward for developing domestic energy capacity and renewable energy resources. I want to thank Congressman Fulcher for his leadership on this legislation and his thoughtful work on energy issues across the country."

Background

H.R. 1449, the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act or CLEAN Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), addresses geothermal leasing and permitting issues by amending the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to require the Secretary of the Interior to hold lease sales annually for geothermal energy. If a lease sale is missed, the bill requires the secretary to hold replacement sales during the same year. The bill also requires the secretary to respond to geothermal drilling permit applications within 30 days of receipt.

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