Assigned to NR                                                                                                                       FOR COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR H.C.R. 2057

supporting geothermal energy

Purpose

Expresses the Legislature's support for the development of a geothermal permitting roadmap, the alignment of existing agency rules related to geothermal development and innovative next-generation energy resource development.

Background

The Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (Commission) is established in the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). ADEQ must provide staff support to the Commission. The Commission consists of the State Land Commissioner Ex-Officio who has no vote, and five members to be appointed by the Governor, not more than three of whom must be of the same political party. The appointive members must be U.S. citizens and residents of Arizona for not less than the five years immediately preceding their appointment. Three members of the Commission must constitute a quorum for the transaction of business (A.R.S. § 27-514).

The Commission must supervise the drilling, operation, maintenance and abandonment of geothermal resource wells as to encourage the greatest ultimate economic recovery of geothermal resources, to prevent damage to and waste from underground geothermal reservoirs, to prevent damage to or contamination of any waters of Arizona or any formation productive or potentially productive of fossil fuels or helium gas and to prevent the discharge of any fluids or gases or disposition of substances harmful to the environment by reason of drilling, operation, maintenance or abandonment of geothermal resource wells (A.R.S. § 27-652).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

· States that the Members of the Legislature support:

a) the development of a geothermal permitting roadmap that standardizes permitting guidance for the development of next-generation geothermal resources across Arizona's regulatory agencies;

b) the alignment of existing agency rules related to geothermal development to make permitting predictable for next-generation projects; and

c) innovative next-generation energy resource development to support Arizona's advanced manufacturing economy.

House Action

NREW            2/17/26      DP       9-0-0-1

3^rd Read          2/26/26                  54-0-6

Prepared by Senate Research

March 6, 2026

SB/NRG/hk