Latest action: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 575.
Bill is filed in its originating chamber and assigned a number.
Sponsor
Mike Kennedy (R-UT)
Filed in the House.
Next: In Committee
Members of the committee(s) the bill was referred to
Reform how the federal government charges royalties for geothermal energy development on public lands.
The problem
Current geothermal royalty rates on federal lands may not reflect fair market value or adequately compensate taxpayers for geothermal resources extracted from public property.
The proposal
Updates royalty rates, terms, and conditions for geothermal leasing and development on federal lands to modernize regulations and ensure competitive bidding practices.
The impact
Affects geothermal energy companies, federal and state governments receiving royalties, taxpayers, and communities near geothermal development sites.
Updated royalty rates could increase payments to the federal government and states, providing more revenue from public resources. This ensures taxpayers receive fair compensation when private companies profit from geothermal energy on public lands.
Modern royalty structures can make geothermal projects more financially viable while still being profitable, potentially encouraging more renewable energy development. Geothermal power produces electricity with minimal emissions.
Reformed leasing terms can strengthen competitive bidding, ensuring the government receives competitive prices. This protects public interests and encourages efficient allocation of resources.
Encouraging geothermal development creates employment in construction, operations, and maintenance. Growing the renewable energy industry supports job growth in clean energy sectors.
Increased royalty rates could raise operational costs for geothermal companies, potentially making some projects unprofitable. Companies may pass costs to consumers or reduce investment in development.
Higher royalties might discourage companies from pursuing geothermal projects, especially in remote or difficult locations. This could slow renewable energy expansion in certain regions.
Retroactive or changed terms could create disputes with current lease holders and legal challenges. Companies may be reluctant to invest if rules keep changing.
Communities depending on geothermal project development may see reduced investment and fewer economic opportunities if companies choose other projects elsewhere.
Generated by AI from the bill text. Not a prediction and not legal or policy advice. The percentage is the model's own rating of each item — self-reported, and not a measure of how accurate it is.
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Individual contributions, grouped by employer · FEC
Where their individual donors work · 2026 cycle
Money from people who work there, not from the company. Not tied to this bill.
Itemized individual contributions via FEC, grouped by the employer each contributor self-reported. Companies and unions cannot contribute to federal candidates from their treasuries, so these totals are money from people who work at an employer — never from the organization itself. They are campaign contributions covering a full election cycle and are not connected to this bill.
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