STEAM Act
Latest Action
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 570.
Official Summary
Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act or the STEAM Act This bill expedites the environmental review of certain geothermal energy activities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill expands the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include certain geothermal exploration or development activities in an existing categorical exclusion from NEPA for certain oil or gas activities. A categorical exclusion applies to a class of actions that do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement under NEPA. The categorical exclusion established by the bill applies to drilling a geothermal well (1) in an area where drilling has occurred previously within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins; or (2) within a developed field for which an approved land use plan or environmental document prepared under NEPA determined drilling to be a reasonably foreseeable activity, so long as the plan or document was approved within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™The STEAM Act (H.R. 1077) aims to expedite the environmental review process for certain geothermal energy activities by expanding an existing categorical exclusion under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This exclusion allows specific geothermal drilling activities to bypass the usual requirements for environmental assessments or impact statements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The bill applies this exclusion to geothermal wells drilled either in areas with recent drilling activity within the last five years or within developed fields where drilling was anticipated in an approved land use plan or environmental document finalized within five years prior to drilling.
The STEAM Act streamlines environmental review for certain geothermal drilling projects by extending a categorical exclusion under NEPA, potentially accelerating geothermal energy development in specified areas.
- Expands an existing categorical exclusion under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include certain geothermal exploration and development activities.
- Applies to geothermal wells drilled in areas with drilling activity in the previous five years or in developed fields with recent approved land use plans or environmental documents.
- Allows these geothermal activities to proceed without requiring an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under NEPA.
['Geothermal energy developers and operators', 'Energy sector stakeholders focused on renewable energy', 'Federal agencies responsible for environmental review and permitting', 'Communities and regions involved in geothermal energy production']
['Reduced environmental review could limit the identification of potential environmental impacts in some geothermal drilling projects.', "The five-year timeframe for prior drilling or approved plans may restrict the exclusion's applicability to certain areas.", 'Oversight and monitoring mechanisms for activities exempted from NEPA review are not detailed in the summary.']
The bill is part of ongoing legislative efforts to promote renewable energy development by reducing regulatory barriers. It builds on the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and aligns with federal policies encouraging geothermal energy as a clean energy source. As of the latest update, the bill is in process and has been placed on the Union Calendar in the House of Representatives.
Hidden impact flags detected: 1
GovScope reviewed 1 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.
['Potential acceleration of geothermal energy project timelines due to streamlined environmental review.', 'Possible increase in geothermal energy production capacity in areas qualifying for the exclusion.', 'Reduced administrative workload for federal agencies processing NEPA reviews for geothermal projects meeting the exclusion criteria.']
The bill reduces the scope of environmental review for certain geothermal drilling activities, which may affect transparency and public participation in the permitting process. Oversight mechanisms for activities exempted from NEPA review are not specified in the available summary. The full bill text was not provided, limiting detailed analysis of implementation provisions and enforcement language.
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