A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to describe the scope of activities subject to a presumption of the applicability of an exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

This bill (S 2949) creates a rebuttable presumption that specific geothermal exploration and development activities on federal lands qualify for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), streamlining environmental reviews. It directly affects geothermal developers and federal land managers by exempting qualifying activities - such as converting oil/gas wells to geothermal wells, drilling at existing sites, or placing pipelines in approved corridors - from full NEPA reviews, provided they meet strict conditions (e.g., limited surface disturbance, prior environmental analysis). The bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to define these activities explicitly. This change applies only when developers comply with the specified thresholds and documentation requirements.