Bill

H.R. 5587 (119th): Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act or the HEATS Act

Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act or the HEATS Act This bill exempts certain geothermal activities on state and private lands (except Indian lands) from drilling permit requirements as well as environmental and historic preservation review requirements. First, the bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from requiring an operator to obtain a drilling permit under the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 for any geothermal exploration and production activity conducted on a nonfederal surface estate (i.e., the part of the estate that is above ground) if (1) the United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50% of the subsurface geothermal estate to be accessed by the proposed action, and (2) the operator submits to Interior a state permit to conduct the geothermal exploration and production activity on the nonfederal surface estate. Next, the bill states that such geothermal exploration and production activity is not considered a major federal action under National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Thus, such activity does not trigger NEPA's environmental review requirements. In addition, the bill exempts such activity from the consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. It also exempts the activity from review under the National Historic Preservation Act unless the state in which the activity occurs does not have a state law that addresses the preservation of historic properties.

house · Substantive

Rankings updated October 26, 2026, 11:44 AM ET · Votes through September 30, 2026
Exported candidates: 719 | Filings on file, by office: H: 5838 | P: 1467 | S: 1567. These counts include every filing for that office, so they are larger than the ranked list. One person can have more than one filing. Non-voting delegates are left out.

Official source

Summary

Recorded summary

The HEATS Act exempts certain geothermal exploration and production on nonfederal surface estates from Interior drilling permit requirements when the United States holds less than 50% of the subsurface geothermal estate and the operator submits a state permit. It also declares such activity not a major federal action under NEPA, exempts it from Endangered Species Act consultation, and exempts it from National Historic Preservation Act review unless the state lacks its own historic preservation law. The bill covers state and private lands, excluding Indian lands.

energyenvironmental_regulationgeothermalnatural_resourcespermittingunclear

Theological note: Relevant to stewardship of creation and the proper use of God-given resources through lawful labor, which Scripture affirms (Genesis 1:28; 2:15). It also bears on care for endangered creatures and on honoring the historic built environment, goods weighed through prudential judgment about how much federal review is warranted. This is an issue-relevance note, not a final candidate judgment.

Scoring

How this bill is scored

Debt and war Cloture and Tier 1 Procedural votes Scoring mechanics

Roll

Recorded votes

Roll 137 · 23-Apr-2026 10:32 AM · On Passage · Passed

Yea 231 · Nay 186 · Other 12

Yea

Nay

Other

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