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S4406FEDERALin_committee

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Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act

April 28, 2026

geothermal energy renewable energy energy research data management mining climate technology

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.Apr 28, 2026

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Finance Connection

Notable money activity

$2,500across 2 reported contributions

Trace money trail →

Candidate	Donor	Amount	Industry	Date
CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO FOR SENATE	JONES, ROBERT	$1,500	LIFE INSURANCE	Mar 2026
CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO FOR SENATE	THOMAS, LAUREN	$1,000	CEO	Mar 2026

Reported financial relationships and timing signals. This does not prove motive or influence. Readers draw their own conclusions.

The Frame

What this does

The bill directs the Department of Energy to expand geothermal research and data collection, which could influence future energy infrastructure projects and the availability of subsurface geological data for energy and mining developers.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Geothermal energy developers

They will gain access to a standardized, public repository of subsurface data collected from various energy and mining projects.

Mining and fossil fuel companies

Their subsurface data, including heat and seismic information, will be integrated into a federal repository for public use.

Department of Energy

The agency is tasked with creating a new research program and ensuring testing capabilities at FORGE sites.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill updates federal energy law to expand research and development for advanced geothermal energy technologies, including closed-loop and supercritical systems. It mandates new data-sharing agreements between federal agencies and requires the drilling of deep exploration boreholes to map subsurface heat resources.

Key Facts

Defines 'next-generation geothermal systems' to include enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop systems, and supercritical geothermal technologies.
Requires the Secretary of Energy to ensure at least one FORGE (Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy) site is capable of testing supercritical geothermal systems within one year of enactment.
Mandates the creation of a 'Next-Generation Research and Development Program' within the Geothermal Technologies Office.
Requires the Department of the Interior to commission the drilling of deep exploration boreholes (deeper than 8 kilometers) to map heat, lithology, and subsurface stress.
Expands the federal geothermal drilling data repository to include publicly available subsurface data from fossil fuel and mining operations.
Directs the Secretary of Energy to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of the Interior to share geothermal, seismic, and heat data from energy and mining projects.
Authorizes the use of machine learning algorithms to assist in hydrothermal research and development.
Requires the standardization and increased accessibility of geothermal data to enable regional and site-specific analysis.
Establishes that supercritical geothermal energy is derived from resources at or above the supercritical temperature of the primary fluid present.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are 'closed-loop' geothermal systems?

The bill defines them as a or circuit of wellbores containing a fluid that is heated through contact with the borehole wall.

Will this bill make private mining or energy data public?

The bill requires the government to collect and share subsurface data, including data reported as part of fossil fuel and mining operations, in a public repository.

What is the goal of drilling boreholes deeper than 8 kilometers?

The goal is to provide control points for deep heat mapping and to better understand and subsurface stress states for geothermal development.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Integration of Mining Data into Energy Research

The bill explicitly bridges the gap between fossil fuel/mining operations and geothermal research by mandating the sharing of subsurface data across these sectors.

Department of Energy Department of the Interior

Connected Entities

organizationDepartment of the Interior“Agency tasked with collaborating on data sharing and commissioning deep borehole”Map →

organizationDepartment of Energy“Primary agency responsible for implementing the research programs.”Map →

personCortez Masto“U.S. Senator who introduced the bill.”Map →

personMurkowski“U.S. Senator who co-sponsored the bill.”Map →

otherEnergy Independence and Security Act of 2007“The existing law being amended by this bill.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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