Sec. 3. Geothermal leasing priority areas
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The Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 ( 30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the end the following: In this section, the term covered land means land that is— Federal land; and not excluded from the development of geothermal energy under— a land use plan established under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or any other Federal law. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall designate portions of covered land as geothermal leasing priority areas as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 years, after the date of the enactment of this section.
In determining which covered lands to designate as geothermal leasing priority areas under subsection (b), the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall consider if— the covered land is preferable for geothermal leasing; production of geothermal energy on such land is economically viable, including if such land has access to methods of energy transmission; and the designation would be in compliance with section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 ), including subsection (c)(9) of that section.
Not less frequently than once every 10 years, the Secretary shall— review covered land and, if appropriate, make additional designations of geothermal leasing priority areas; and review each area designated as a geothermal leasing priority area under this section, and, if appropriate, remove such designation. No later than one year after the initial designation of a geothermal leasing priority area, the Secretary shall prepare a supplement to any final programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing that is the most recently finalized such statement with respect to covered land designated as a geothermal leasing priority area under subsection (b).
Each designation of a geothermal leasing priority area under subsection
(d)shall be included in a programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing or in a supplement to such a statement. In developing any programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing or supplement to such a statement under this section, the Secretary shall consult, on an ongoing basis, with appropriate State, Tribal, and local governments, transmission infrastructure owners and operators, developers, and other appropriate entities. The Secretary may not delay issuing a permit or holding a lease sale under this Act because the supplement required under paragraph
(1)has not been finalized by the Secretary. If the Secretary determines that the designation of a geothermal leasing priority area has been sufficiently analyzed by a programmatic environmental impact statement, the Secretary shall not prepare any additional analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to geothermal lease sales for such geothermal leasing priority area. .
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