Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Part B · Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs
§ 15871. Coordination of geothermal leasing and permitting on Federal lands
Statutory text
In general
Not later than 180 days after , the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into and submit to Congress a memorandum of understanding in accordance with this section, the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (as amended by this Act) [30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], and other applicable laws, regarding coordination of leasing and permitting for geothermal development of public lands and National Forest System lands under their respective jurisdictions.
Lease and permit applications
The memorandum of understanding shall—
establish an administrative procedure for processing geothermal lease applications, including lines of authority, steps in application processing, and time limits for application procession;
establish a 5-year program for geothermal leasing of lands in the National Forest System, and a process for updating that program every 5 years; and
establish a program for reducing the backlog of geothermal lease application pending on , by 90 percent within the 5-year period beginning on , including, as necessary, by issuing leases, rejecting lease applications for failure to comply with the provisions of the regulations under which they were filed, or determining that an original applicant (or the applicant’s assigns, heirs, or estate) is no longer interested in pursuing the lease application.
Data retrieval system
The memorandum of understanding shall establish a joint data retrieval system that is capable of tracking lease and permit applications and providing to the applicant information as to their status within the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, including an estimate of the time required for administrative action.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
John Rishel Geothermal Steam Act Amendments of 2005
Pub. L. 109–58 title II § 225 · 119 Stat. 594
Enacted · 42 U.S.C. § 15871
(Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 225, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 665.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 225, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 665.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 225. COORDINATION OF GEOTHERMAL LEASING AND PERMITTING ON FEDERAL LANDS. (a) In General.— Not Deadline. Memorandum. later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into and submit to Congress a memorandum of understanding in accordance with this section, the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (as amended by this Act), and other applicable laws, regarding coordination of leasing and permitting for geothermal development of public lands and National Forest System lands under their respective jurisdictions. (b) Lease and Permit Applications.— The memorandum of understanding shall— (1) establish an administrative procedure for processing geothermal lease applications, including lines of authority, steps in application processing, and time limits for application procession; (2) establish a 5-year program for geothermal leasing of lands in the National Forest System, and a process for updating that program every 5 years; and (3) Effective date. establish a program for reducing the backlog of geothermal lease application pending on January 1, 2005, by 90 percent within the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, including, as necessary, by issuing leases, rejecting lease applications for failure to comply with the provisions of the regulations under which they were filed, or determining that an original applicant (or the applicant’s assigns, heirs, or estate) is no longer interested in pursuing the lease application. (c) Data Retrieval System.— The memorandum of understanding shall establish a joint data retrieval system that is capable of tracking lease and permit applications and providing to the applicant information as to their status within the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, including an estimate of the time required for administrative action.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 91–581, , 84 Stat. 1566, which is classified principally to chapter 23 (§ 1001 et seq.) of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of Title 30 and Tables.
This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 109–58, , 119 Stat. 594, known as the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which enacted this chapter and enacted, amended, and repealed numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 15801 of this title and Tables.