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STEAM Act
1/5/2026, 2:47 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1077
The bill seeks to streamline the permitting process for geothermal projects in these areas, making it easier for companies to obtain the necessary approvals to move forward with their exploration and development activities. By doing so, the bill aims to encourage more investment in geothermal energy and help to expand the use of this clean and renewable energy source.
Supporters of the bill argue that geothermal energy has the potential to play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. By making it easier for companies to develop geothermal projects in previously studied or developed areas, the bill could help to unlock the full potential of this important energy source. Critics of the bill, however, raise concerns about the potential environmental impacts of expedited geothermal development. They argue that speeding up the permitting process could lead to inadequate environmental assessments and oversight, potentially putting local ecosystems and communities at risk. Overall, Bill 119 HR 1077 represents an effort to promote the development of geothermal energy resources in the United States. Its impact on the environment and local communities will depend on how effectively it balances the need for expedited development with the need for proper environmental protections.
Congressional Summary of HR 1077
Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act or the STEAM Act
This bill expedites the environmental review of certain geothermal energy activities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill expands the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include certain geothermal exploration or development activities in an existing categorical exclusion from NEPA for certain oil or gas activities.
A categorical exclusion applies to a class of actions that do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement under NEPA.
The categorical exclusion established by the bill applies to drilling a geothermal well (1) in an area where drilling has occurred previously within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins; or (2) within a developed field for which an approved land use plan or environmental document prepared under NEPA determined drilling to be a reasonably foreseeable activity, so long as the plan or document was approved within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins.
