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United States · Bill · S

S. 2465 (93rd)

Geothermal Energy Act

passedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

21 September 1973

Last action

11 July 1974 · Passed

Status

Measure indefinitely postponed in Senate, H.R. 14920 passed in lieu.

Sponsors

Sen. Bible, Alan [D-NV], Sen. Fannin, Paul J. [R-AZ], Sen. Bartlett, Dewey F. [R-OK], Sen. Buckley, James L. [R-NY], Sen. Church, Frank [D-ID], Sen. Hansen, Clifford P. [R-WY], Sen. Haskell, Floyd K. [D-CO], Sen. Hatfield, Mark O. [R-OR], Sen. Metcalf, Lee [D-MT], Sen. Jackson, Henry M. [D-WA], Sen. Johnston, J. Bennett [D-LA], Sen. McClure, James A. [R-ID], Sen. Gurney, Edward J. [R-FL], Sen. Nelson, Gaylord [D-WI], Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK], Sen. Goldwater, Barry [R-AZ], Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM], Sen. Abourezk, James [D-SD], Sen. Tunney, John V. [D-CA]

Subjects

Energy

Source updated

24 March 2026

Energy

Summary

Geothermal Energy Act - Title I: Loan Guarantee Program - Declares it to be the policy of the Congress to encourage the commercial development of means to produce energy from geothermal resources and to facilitate such development by authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to guarantee loans for such purposes. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to guarantee loans made for the purposes of acquiring rights in geothermal resources and performing exploration, development, and construction and operation of facilities for the commercial production of energy from geothermal resources. Specifies the terms and conditions such loans must meet prior to guarantee. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts to pay the lenders the interest charges which become due and payable on the unpaid balance of any such loan if the Secretary finds that enumerated circumstances occur. Establishes, in the Treasury of the United States, a Geothermal Resources Development Fund. Authorizes to be appropriated to the fund an amount not to exceed $50,000,000 annually, and such amounts as may be required for the administrative costs of carrying out the provisions of this title. Title II: Coordination of Federal Activities in Geothermal Energy Exploration, Research, and Development - Directs the Secretary, acting through the Geological Survey, to: (1) carry out a plan for the orderly exploration of all forms of geothermal resources of the Federal lands; (2) conduct regional surveys that will lead to a national inventory of geothermal resources in the United States; (3) publish and make available maps, reports, and other documents developed from such exploration to facilitate the commercial development of geothermal resources; (4) make such recommendations for legislation; and, (5) participate with the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Science Foundation in research. Enumerates the activities in which the Atomic Energy Commission is directed to participate in furtherance of the purposes of this Act. Directs the Commission to coordinate such activities with the Department of the Interior. States the conditions precedent to entering into agreements under this Act. Authorizes the Commission to investigate potential agreements for the cooperative development of major facilities to demonstrate the production of energy from geothermal resources and to submit engineering and financial proposals to the Congress for consideration of authorization to proceed with implementation. Authorizes to be appropriated to carry out the purposes of this title: (1) $10 million for fiscal years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to the Secretary of the Interior; (2) $35 million for fiscal years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to the Atomic Energy Commission; and (3) such amounts as may be required in fiscal years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to NASA.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 21 September 1973

    Introduced

    Referred to Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 21 September 1973

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 15 May 1974

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs with amendment, S. Rept. 93-849.

    Source: Committee

  4. 15 May 1974

    Reported

    Reported to Senate from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs with amendment, S. Rept. 93-849.

    Source: Committee

  5. 11 July 1974

    Passed

    Measure indefinitely postponed in Senate, H.R. 14920 passed in lieu.

    Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

2 official files

Leesvertaling

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  • Indefinitely postponed in Senate

    summary · EN · 11 July 1974

    Open at official source

  • Introduced in Senate

    summary · EN · 21 September 1973

    Open at official source

    Leesvertaling

    Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

    Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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