Ruben Gallego Introduces Bill Improving Geothermal Energy Permitting

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has introduced legislation to improve the federal government's geothermal energy permitting program.

Specifically, the Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act allows the Department of the Interior to recoup administrative costs, such as application and inspection fees, from geothermal lease applicants and holders through September 30th, 2032, thereby ensuring it maintains the funds necessary to process new applications quickly.

"Energy prices are through the roof and continuing to climb," Sen. Gallego announced in a press release. "If we're going to tackle this crisis and bring costs down, we need to get more electrons on the grid as fast as possible. Expanding geothermal energy production is one efficient way of doing that."

Sen. Gallego continued, "This commonsense bill ensures we have the resources needed to keep geothermal applications moving so new projects can get off the ground fast."

The bill has already received backing from several geothermal energy advocacy organizations, including Superhot Rock Energy, Climate Innovation Action, and Geothermal Rising Action.

Arizona's State Legislature has similarly passed a resolution recognizing the Grand Canyon State's geothermal energy potential, noting that the state can harness up to 10 gigawatts of power from this energy source.

State Representative Teresa Martinez (R-16) added that "Arizona needs more power, and geothermal is one resource we should be taking seriously."

In August 2025, Gallego introduced the Lowering Electric Bills Act, which would restore clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that were eliminated in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB).

The Arizona Senator explained that the IRA offered tax credits for wind and solar energy. Without these credits, he claims, energy bills will increase, and nearly 1 million jobs will be lost by 2030 because 300 factories will not be built or will never open.

"When they voted for their 'Big Beautiful Bill,' Republicans wiped out the investments that were lowering electricity costs for hardworking families, creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and bringing billions of dollars of investment to Arizona," claimed Gallego.