Analyst Brief June 01, 2026

H.R. 1687 — CLEAN Act, as amended

Current Status

Reported with an amendment

Executive Summary

H.R. 1687, the 'Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act' or 'CLEAN Act,' amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to accelerate geothermal energy development on federal lands. It shifts the statutory mandate for geothermal lease sales from every two years to annually and requires the Department of the Interior to hold replacement sales if a scheduled sale is canceled or delayed. Furthermore, it forces the Secretary to offer at least 75% of eligible nominated parcels and establishes strict 30-day deadlines for processing geothermal drilling permits, aiming to cut bureaucratic red tape and boost domestic baseload clean energy production.

Bill Data

Primary Sponsor

Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID)

Bill Number

H.R. 1687

Session

119th

Co-Sponsors

Rep. Celeste MaloyRep. Lauren Boebert
View on Congress.gov ↗

Arguments For

  • Economic & Energy Security: Accelerates the deployment of geothermal energy, providing reliable, baseload clean power that enhances domestic energy independence.
  • Regulatory Certainty: Imposes strict deadlines on the Department of the Interior, preventing bureaucratic delays from stalling capital-intensive energy projects.
  • Maximizes Land Use: Forces the administration's hand to actually lease nominated parcels (75% minimum), preventing 'shadow bans' on leasing through administrative inaction.

Likely Supporters

RepublicansGeothermal RisingAmerican Petroleum InstituteWestern Energy AllianceU.S. Chamber of Commerce

Arguments Against

  • Environmental & Administrative Burden: Arbitrary 30-day deadlines may force rushed environmental reviews or lead to automatic deferrals/denials if agencies lack the staff to process complex permits.
  • Loss of Agency Discretion: Mandating the lease of 75% of nominated parcels strips the BLM of its flexibility to manage multiple-use public lands and protect sensitive habitats.

Likely Opponents

DemocratsSierra ClubCenter for Biological DiversityEarthjusticeThe Wilderness Society

📋 Key Provisions

  • Mandates annual geothermal lease sales instead of biennial sales.
  • Requires the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a replacement lease sale within the same year if a scheduled sale is canceled or delayed.
  • Compels the Secretary to offer at least 75% of eligible nominated parcels for lease, requiring written statutory, environmental, or administrative justification to withhold the remaining 25%.
  • Establishes a 30-day deadline for the Secretary to notify applicants whether a geothermal drilling permit application is complete or missing information.
  • Requires the Secretary to issue or defer a decision on a completed permit within 30 days, with strict timelines for final decisions if deferred.
search Verification Guide BETA expand_more

Don't trust AI? Don't worry, neither do I. Verify the claims yourself.

Claim Analysis Page 3, Line 9

Changes the frequency of lease sales from every 2 years to every year.

Verify Text

"striking ‘‘2 years’’ and"

Claim Analysis Page 3, Line 24

Requires the Secretary to offer at least 75 percent of nominated parcels.

Verify Text

"75 percent of such nominated parcels"

Claim Analysis Page 4, Line 13

Imposes a 30-day deadline to notify an applicant if a drilling permit is complete.

Verify Text

"Not later than 30 days after"