H.R. 5587: HEATS Act

The HEATS Act (H.R. 5587) aims to simplify the process for geothermal energy activities on state and private lands by removing certain federal requirements. It exempts these activities from needing a federal drilling permit if the U.S. owns less than 50% of the geothermal resources. Operators only need a state permit. Additionally, these activities are not subject to federal environmental reviews under NEPA, nor do they require consultation under the Endangered Species Act or review under the National Historic Preservation Act, unless state laws do not cover historic preservation.

H.R. 5587 was introduced in the 119th Congress by Young Kim (Republican) and is currently listed as “Passed House”. It is classified under the Energy policy area, one of 124 bills in that area we track this Congress.

Young Kim is the sponsor of 15 bills in our database this Congress, so H.R. 5587 is part of a broader legislative agenda rather than a one-off proposal.

The most significant recorded vote (House, April 23, 2026) ended 231–186.

Senate lobbying disclosures list 15 organizations lobbying on this bill’s issue area.

Our conflict-of-interest analysis rates H.R. 5587 1/10 (low risk), higher than 6% of analyzed bills; the average in Energy is 2.2/10.

Supporters of the HEATS Act highlight its potential to accelerate geothermal energy development by reducing bureaucratic hurdles. Media outlets and proponents argue that this could lead to increased renewable energy production and economic benefits by making it easier and faster for companies to harness geothermal resources. The bill is seen as a step towards energy independence and a boost for state-level regulatory control.

Critics of the HEATS Act express concerns over the reduced environmental oversight. Media coverage has voiced worries that exempting geothermal activities from federal environmental reviews could lead to negative impacts on ecosystems and historic sites. Opponents argue that the lack of federal oversight could result in insufficient protection for endangered species and historic properties, potentially leading to long-term environmental degradation.

Based on the data provided, there appears to be a low risk of conflict of interest between Representative Young Kim's campaign donors and the subject matter of H.R. 5587: HEATS Act. There were no direct overlaps detected between the bill's subjects and the sponsor's top donor industries. This suggests that the bill's sponsor is not directly influenced by their donors in the drafting and support of this legislation. However, there is significant lobbying activity in the bill's policy area, with a total disclosed amount of $387,000. The largest contributors to this total are Liberty Maritime Corporation ($230,000) and the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands ($130,000). It is important to note that the presence of lobbying does not necessarily indicate a conflict of interest for the bill's sponsor. It is also worth noting that several entities have undisclosed contributions, which could potentially influence the risk level if disclosed.

Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.

Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026

Source: GovTrack.us roll call vote data.