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SALT LAKE CITY — There are occasions when two Capitol Hill lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle come together for the common good. Although this can be rare, it happened this week when Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Utah Rep. John Curtis offered each other support on their bills.
At the heart of this collaboration are two bills aimed at streamlining the permitting process for geothermal Energy.
Curtis, in a press release sent to the Deseret News, said the Geothermal Energy Opportunity, GEO, Act, which his office proposed, would help "unlock this resource to meet our energy needs."
"Geothermal energy is an affordable, reliable, and clean energy source," he said. "Despite significant investments from companies to secure project permits, the Department of the Interior often delays authorizations — such as notices to proceed and drilling permits — due to litigation threats."
He said he was "thrilled to have unanimous support from my colleagues for this common-sense legislation."
What did AOC say about Rep. John Curtis' bill?
Ocasio-Cortez in her remarks on the House floor said the GEO Act requires permit applications to be reviewed within two months.
But this efficiency will not sacrifice a proper review process, as mandated under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.
She thanked Republicans for their willingness to work across the aisle to ensure both communities and the environment continue to enjoy their protections.
"Geothermal has the smallest footprint of any energy generation technology and uses significantly fewer resources than other sources, especially conventional fossil fuels," the New York Congresswoman said.
But, as Axios reported, Ben Gruber, the chief for energy, minerals and realty management programs at the Bureau of Land Management, opposed Curtis' bill at a hearing Wednesday, saying it would create difficulties for the agency to comply with environmental regulations. The Biden White House isn't entirely skeptical of geothermal energy — Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm has said she couldn't be more excited about capturing the reliable and scalable "heat beneath our feet" and creating speedier permitting processes.
Ocasio-Cortez also introduced a related bill that expands the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 and requires geothermal leaseholders to reimburse the Department of Interior for any fees incurred while the application is filed and the site is inspected and monitored.
Including Curtis and Ocasio-Cortez's proposals, the House passed four bills related to geothermal energy Tuesday night.
Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the committee chairman, said the House GOP is keeping its "foot on the gas" as it passes a flurry of energy bills.
"Thoughtful legislation managing our resources well will restore American energy dominance, keep our natural treasures healthy for generations and reduce frustrating red tape that so often plagues our federal government," he said.
