This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to appoint a Geothermal Ombudsman from within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within 60 days and to establish a Geothermal Permitting Task Force led by that Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will act as a liaison among BLM field, district, and State offices, the National Renewable Energy Coordination Office Division Chief, and the BLM Director. Duties include providing dispute resolution between BLM offices and applicants, monitoring and facilitating permit processing practices and timelines, developing best practices for permitting and leasing geothermal resources, and coordinating with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. The Task Force will support the Ombudsman’s duties and may coordinate cross-office personnel assignments to help complete geothermal authorizations. Assigned personnel must work in-person full time at a Department office, may travel to BLM offices as needed, participate on authorization teams, and report to the local BLM office. The Ombudsman may pay retention allowances up to 25 percent of basic pay to assigned employees, subject to available appropriations and certain conditions. The Ombudsman must submit an annual report to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources describing Task Force activities and evaluating geothermal permit processing.
The bill authorizes retention allowances of up to 25 percent of an employee's basic pay for assigned personnel and creates staff assignment activities that could require funding, and it ties payments to the availability of appropriations. No publicly available information on estimated total costs or funding sources.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.