South OC Times

Washington, DC – Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed out of markup H.R. 7409, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act, led by U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40). The bill aims to boost U.S. energy production by streamlining geothermal energy infrastructure development and production.

In a statement, Rep. Young Kim emphasized the importance of geothermal energy, stating, "Unleashing American energy independence requires diversifying our energy supply and promoting U.S. innovation, and geothermal energy is an important, renewable energy source that helps us accomplish these goals." She further highlighted the benefits of the HEATS Act, mentioning, "The HEATS Act will lower costs for Americans, reduce emissions, secure supply chains, and promote U.S. energy independence. I thank the Natural Resources Committee for supporting this bill, which benefits our national security, economy, and environment."

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman also expressed support for the bill, describing it as a "commonsense, scientific bill that will advance House Republicans’ goal of achieving lower energy costs for all and making America energy independent." He added, "This bill would help expedite geothermal energy production on federal lands while reducing administrative burdens on federal agencies."

The HEATS Act aims to expedite geothermal energy production by clarifying that geothermal operators do not need a federal drilling permit for wells on state and private lands where the subsurface geothermal estate is less than 50% federal. Despite the exemption from federal permitting requirements, operators would still need to adhere to state permitting regulations.

The bill's advancement in the House Committee on Natural Resources signals growing support for boosting geothermal energy in the United States.