BLM takes steps to accelerate geothermal energy development

WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Land Management has approved a categorical exclusion to make it easier and faster to explore for geothermal energy on public lands. This action allows small-scale exploration projects-disturbing up to 10 acres of land-to move forward with less red tape.

"By setting consistent permitting expectations across public lands, we're giving operators a clear, predictable path to delivering a reliable supply of geothermal energy," said BLM Acting Director Bill Groffy. "This new categorical exclusion streamlines the process without compromising environmental review or quality standards. It will expedite the approval of new geothermal projects, ensuring operators across the West can provide more energy for the American people."

Categorical exclusions are categories of actions that have been determined to not typically have significant environmental impacts, eliminating the need to do a full environmental review. Streamlining National Environmental Policy Act compliance through categorical exclusions removes regulatory burdens and speeds up the process, saving time, and resources.

Before relying on a categorical exclusion for a proposed project, an agency must verify that there are no extraordinary circumstances, such as potential impacts to endangered species or cultural resources, that may result in the project having any significant environmental effects.

With geothermal exploration operations, companies search for evidence of geothermal resources through geophysical operations, core drilling and temperature gradient wells, and related well pads, roads and trails. Exploration operations do not include the direct testing of geothermal resources or the production or utilization of geothermal resources.

The new categorical exclusion published today in the Federal Register and directly supports the goals of Executive Order 14154 and Secretary's Order 3418, both titled "Unleashing American Energy," by cutting red tape and accelerating the approval process for geothermal energy exploration. It also aligns with Executive Order 14156, "Declaring a National Energy Emergency," and Secretary's Order 3417, "Addressing the National Energy Emergency," by helping to quickly advance domestic energy projects that can strengthen the nation's energy supply and security.

Geothermal is an abundant resource, especially in the West, which the BLM has authority to manage geothermal leasing, exploration, and development on approximately 245 million surface acres of public lands and the 700 million acres where the United States owns the subsurface mineral estate.