CEDAR CITY, UTAH. – Tuesday, the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a field oversight hearing in Cedar City, Utah, focused on advancing geothermal energy development on federal lands. The session highlighted the untapped potential of geothermal energy – an abundant, reliable, and clean power source concentrated in many federal jurisdictions across the western United States.

The hearing featured testimony from geothermal energy producers, state regulatory officials, and academic researchers, all of whom identified permitting delays, insufficient transmission infrastructure, and regulatory uncertainty as significant roadblocks to geothermal development. Witnesses emphasized that despite geothermal’s potential to supply consistent baseload power, outdated federal processes have stifled innovation and investment.

“Geothermal energy represents one of our most reliable and sustainable domestic resources, but it’s being held back by outdated permitting systems and a lack of grid connectivity. We must recognize our country’s full geothermal potential not just where the resource exists, but where the energy is needed,” said Congressman Begich. That means building out the transmission infrastructure to connect geothermal to the grid, investing in energy corridors, and ensuring a streamlined, science-based permitting process. America’s energy security depends on our ability to act boldly and unleash the resources beneath our feet.”

The Subcommittee is calling for bipartisan solutions to reduce permitting delays, modernize federal land use policy, and promote investment in transmission infrastructure that can deliver geothermal power to underserved and high-demand regions.

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