House Natural Resources Committee
Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee
Fossil-Fuel, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas Lease Fee Bills
On Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., in room 1334 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
- H.R. 5482 (Rep. Hageman), “Energy Poverty Prevention and Accountability Act of 2023”;
- H.R. 6474 (Rep. Steel), To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas; and
- H.R. 6481 (Rep. Hageman), To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to reimburse the fee for an expression of interest if the expression of interest becomes inactive, and for other purposes.
Witnesses:
Panel I (Bill Sponsors):- Harriet Hageman, Representative, Wyoming’s at large Congressional District [H.R. 5482, and H.R. 6481]
- Michelle Steel, Representative, California’s 45th Congressional District [H.R. 6474]
- Bryant Jones, Executive Director, Geothermal Rising [H.R. 6474]
- Kathleen Sgamma, President, Western Energy Alliance [H.R. 6481]
- Dr. J. Mijin Cha, Assistant Professor, University of California [Minority Witness] [H.R. 5482]
- Derek Hollie, Founder, Energy Poverty Prevention Project [H.R. 5482]
- Commissions GAO to identify and report on the barriers faced by at-risk communities in accessing reliable and affordable energy.
- Requires the OMB to review energy related regulations to determine if they would substantially burden at-risk communities.
- Requires GAO and OMB to issue a joint report to Congress on their findings along with recommendations on how to reduce energy poverty in at-risk communities.
- Requires the CBO to include in any energy related bill or resolution an estimate of costs to at-risk communities.
- Forces agencies to conduct studies prior to issuing a withdrawal of federal lands, taking action to delay or deny fossil-fuel leases or permits, or declaring a moratorium on fossil-fuel production that demonstrates the action in question will not increase energy poverty.
- Requires all agencies include an “Energy Poverty Statement” on the first page of each rulemaking detailing how the rule will not create energy poverty in at-risk communities.
- Does not mention the harms of pollution.
- Does not mention energy efficiency.
- Amends Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by adding geothermal exploration and development to the categorical exclusions authorized by that section.
- Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to reimburse EOI submitters if the acreage in the EOI is not offered and the EOI is cancelled.
- Ensures that EOIs remain active for a period of at least 5 years.