Fedorchak votes to unlock geothermal energy, streamline permitting

April 23, 2026 Press Release Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) today voted in favor of H.R. 5587, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act , legislation to expand access to geothermal energy projects located on federally owned lands by streamlining permitting and reducing unnecessary barriers. “Geothermal energy is part of a robust energy mix, but federal red tape has slowed its development,” Fedorchak said. “This bill takes a practical step to speed up responsible energy production by recognizing the role of state oversight and cutting duplicative federal reviews. I was pleased to see it passed today with a bipartisan vote and hope the Senate acts soon.” The HEATS Act allows geothermal projects on non-federal surface lands to move forward without a federal drilling permit when the federal government holds less than a 50 percent interest in the subsurface estate and a state permit is in place. The bill also removes certain duplicative federal review requirements, including unnecessary delays under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) , while preserving federal royalty collection and oversight. The legislation passed the House in a bipartisan 231-186 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration. ### Issues : Energy and Environment