Geothermal Royalty Reform Act

# Geothermal Royalty Reform Act Summary **What It Would Do** The Geothermal Royalty Reform Act would change how the federal government collects payments (called "royalties") from companies that develop geothermal energy on public lands. Geothermal energy harnesses heat from within the Earth to generate electricity. Currently, the royalty rates and terms are set by existing law, and this bill would reform those terms—likely to make them more favorable to geothermal development, though the specific changes aren't detailed in the basic bill information available. **Who It Affects** The bill primarily affects geothermal energy companies operating on federal lands, the states where these projects operate (particularly Utah and western states), and the federal government's energy revenues.

Indirectly, it could impact consumers who use geothermal-generated electricity and taxpayers, since changes to royalties affect public land revenues. **Current Status** The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. No action has been taken to advance it further at this time.