The House of Representatives passed the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now (CLEAN) Act, H.R. 1687, sponsored by U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher, by unanimous consent on June 2. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
After the vote, Congressman Russ Fulcher said, “Geothermal is a clean, abundant, and dependable energy resource that can help meet America’s rapidly rising power demands. However, the lack of consistent geothermal lease sales and the slow federal permitting process result in timelines longer than many other energy projects. The bipartisan CLEAN Act will address these barriers and unlock opportunities to explore and develop this renewable energy source. I’m grateful to see my bill pass the House and urge the Senate’s swift consideration of this commonsense measure.”
According to the Department of Energy, the United States leads globally in geothermal electricity-generating capacity with just over four gigawatts—enough to power about three million U.S. homes.
Idaho has played a significant role in geothermal production. Boise established the nation’s first geothermal district heating system in 1892; it now supplies naturally heated water through more than 20 miles of pipeline and heats over six million square feet of building space—including the Idaho State Capitol, which is unique as a geothermally heated capitol building in the country.
To develop geothermal resources on federally controlled lands—which hold about 90 percent of viable sites—projects must secure leases first; thus, regular lease sales are considered crucial for expansion efforts. The CLEAN Act amends existing law by requiring yearly lease sales for geothermal energy and mandates replacement sales if any are missed during a calendar year.
Russ Fulcher is currently serving in Congress representing Idaho’s 1st district after replacing Raúl Labrador in 2019; he previously served in the Idaho Senate from 2005 to 2014 and was born in Boise before moving to Meridian, according to the office of Congressman Russ Fulcher.
