US HB5631

Secretary of the Interior must appoint a Geothermal Ombudsman within the Bureau of Land Management within 60 days of enactment to serve as liaison between field offices, the National Renewable Energy Coordination Office, and BLM Director

Geothermal Ombudsman will provide dispute resolution between BLM offices and permit applicants, monitor permit processing timelines, develop best practices for geothermal permitting and leasing, and coordinate with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council

Secretary must establish a Geothermal Permitting Task Force within BLM within 60 days, headed by the Geothermal Ombudsman, to support permitting activities

Geothermal Ombudsman may assign personnel from other Department of Interior bureaus to assist with geothermal authorizations at different field offices, with retention allowances of up to 25% of basic pay available for assigned employees

Geothermal Ombudsman must submit annual reports to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and House Committee on Natural Resources evaluating Task Force activities and geothermal permit processing effectiveness