Federal Geothermal Permitting Reform Momentum

House passed GEO Act, STEAM Act, Next-Gen Geothermal R&D Act ($150M/yr through 2031) with NEPA categorical exclusion for exploration. Senate Energy Committee advanced bipartisan permitting bills. House Energy and Commerce advanced Geo POWER Act. DOE announced $171.5M funding and workforce strategy, plus a new $10.75M university training program for subsurface energy. A record BLM lease sale in New Mexico netted $16.5M with $701/acre high bid, signaling surging developer interest.