119th Congress · introduced in the Senate · May 20, 2026
Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2026
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Jul 15, 2026): Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Energy
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in Senate (May 20, 2026)
Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2026
This bill expands the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to give the Department of the Interior the authority to collect certain fees from applicants for, or holders of, geothermal leases through September 30, 2032. Specifically, Interior may direct those applicants or 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) inspecting and 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 applicant, or (2) a less than full reimbursement is necessary to promote the greatest use of geothermal resources.
Interior may use those fees only to the extent that they are provided in advance in appropriations acts for (1) processing applications for geothermal leases, and (2) inspecting 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.
No cosponsors.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Introduced in Senate
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Alternative and renewable resources · Electric power generation and transmission · Environmental assessment, monitoring, research · Land use and conservation · Mining · Pollution liability · User charges and fees
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