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H. Rept. 119-655 1 (2026-05-20)

handle is hein.congrecreports/crptxaihq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: AUTHENTICATED r U.S. GOVERNMENT INFORMATION 4 119TH CONGRESS REPORT 2d Session j HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 119-655 GEOTHERMAL COST-RECOVERY AUTHORITY ACT OF 2025 MAY 20, 2026.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. WESTERMAN, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H.R. 398] The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 398) to amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to pro- vide cost-recovery authority for the Department of the Interior, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION The purpose of H.R. 398 is to amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to provide cost-recovery authority for the Department of the Interior. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION Cost recovery authority allows federal agencies to charge fees for processing applications, permits, and other authorizations. The Bu- reau of Land Management (BLM) has general cost recovery au- thorities under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA),' the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA),2 and the Independent Offices Appropriation Act of 1952 (IOAA).3 However, BLM contends that it is unable to charge cost recovery fees for in- specting and monitoring the construction, operation, and termi- nation of geothermal facilities (as the agency is permitted to do, under FLPMA, for wind and solar projects).4 H.R. 398, the Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), 143 U.S.C. 1734(b) and 1764(g). 230 U.S.C. 185(1). 331 U.S.C. 9701. 443 U.S.C. 1764(g). 69-006