CLEAN Act

The Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act, or CLEAN Act, aims to significantly streamline and accelerate the development of geothermal energy resources in the United States. It achieves this by amending the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to increase the frequency and predictability of geothermal lease sales. Specifically, the bill mandates that the Secretary of the Interior conduct geothermal lease sales annually , rather than every two years. It further requires that if a scheduled lease sale is canceled or delayed, a replacement sale must be held within the same year to ensure continuity. The Secretary is also required to offer at least 75 percent of nominated parcels eligible for geothermal development, with a written justification needed to withhold the remaining 25 percent. Beyond leasing, the CLEAN Act establishes clear deadlines for the consideration of geothermal drilling permits . The Secretary must provide notice of application completeness or missing information within 30 days. Following a complete application, the Secretary has 30 days to either issue the permit or defer the decision, providing specific steps for the applicant and outlining agency actions with timelines. A final decision on deferred permits must be made within 10 days after all specified actions are completed.