Thoughtful permitting reform can help expand next-generation geothermal

The United States has the potential for significant next-generation geothermal deployment, which could meet 15% of U.S. energy demand growth by 2050. However, the industry faces financing barriers due to slow and uncertain federal leasing and permitting processes, particularly on federal lands. The Clean Air Task Force advocates for increasing the technical capacity of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), implementing evidence-based categorical exclusions for low-impact exploration, and establishing clear permitting timelines to accelerate deployment while maintaining safety and environmental protections.

• Next-generation geothermal energy is estimated to be capable of meeting 15% of the United States' energy demand growth by 2050, supporting needs for industrial sectors, data centers, and AI.
• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) currently lacks the staffing and technical expertise necessary to efficiently process geothermal permits and leases, as most field office staff have limited experience with emerging geothermal technologies.
• Current federal permitting and leasing processes create financing barriers because slow and uncertain timelines delay investor payback and increase costs for risk-averse investors.
• Several legislative proposals aim to streamline geothermal deployment: H.R. 5631 would create a geothermal ombudsman; H.R. 5617 would establish standard procedures for land use and permitting; H.R. 398 would allow cost recovery for application processing; H.R. 5576 would create NEPA exemptions for low-impact exploration; H.R. 301 would mandate a 60-day permit processing window; and H.R. 1687 would require annual lease sales.
• While the CLEAN Act (H.R. 1687) proposes a 30-day response window for completed applications, this is considered insufficient time for the Department of the Interior (DOI) to fully evaluate permits, potentially risking environmental harm or unjustified project rejections.
• The western United States is identified as the region most suitable for next-generation geothermal, where federal land ownership makes efficient leasing processes critical for scaling.

APA

Garth, A. (2025). Thoughtful permitting reform can help expand next-generation geothermal. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2025/12/thoughtful-permitting-reform-can-help-expand-next-generation-geothermal/

Chicago

Garth, Ann. Thoughtful permitting reform can help expand next-generation geothermal. Clean Air Task Force, 2025. https://www.catf.us/2025/12/thoughtful-permitting-reform-can-help-expand-next-generation-geothermal/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Garth |first1=Ann |title=Thoughtful permitting reform can help expand next-generation geothermal |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=16 December 2025 |url=https://www.catf.us/2025/12/thoughtful-permitting-reform-can-help-expand-next-generation-geothermal/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{garth2025thoughtful, author = {Garth, Ann}, title = {{Thoughtful permitting reform can help expand next-generation geothermal}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://www.catf.us/2025/12/thoughtful-permitting-reform-can-help-expand-next-generation-geothermal/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }