House Science Committee advances earthquake and geothermal bills with direct Alaska stakes

The federal program that coordinates earthquake monitoring, building codes, and early warning across four agencies expired in 2023. The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology voted Tuesday to reauthorize it, advancing the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act alongside a geothermal demonstration bill with direct implications for remote Alaska communities.

Earthquake Preparedness

NEHRP, the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, links the USGS, FEMA, NIST, and the National Science Foundation into a coordinated apparatus. The reauthorization locks in at least $30 million annually through fiscal year 2030 for the Advanced National Seismic System and, for the first time, brings tribal governments into the program's advisory structure. "Alaska is the most earthquake-prone state in the country, seeing a magnitude 7.0 almost every year and a magnitude 8.0 roughly every 13 years," Rep. Nick Begich said during the markup.

Geothermal Demonstration

The committee also voted to favorably report the GeoPOWER Act, a milestone-based demonstration program at the Department of Energy targeting geothermal development in low-permeability geology. The measure authorizes up to $150 million per year through fiscal year 2031 and prioritizes projects on or near Indian land. "A successful demonstration near Unalaska or Akutan, both adjacent to active volcano systems, could change the energy economies of entire regions," Begich said. "Less diesel dependence, less supply chain vulnerability, and less energy poverty in some of the most remote areas of North America." One member rose in opposition, arguing the Department of Energy already holds demonstration authority and that the authorization represents a more than sevenfold increase over the prior program's $21 million annual level.

All four bills, including the USA Act on international technical standards and the SCALE Biology Act on biometrology at NIST, were ordered favorably reported to the US House as amended. Floor scheduling has not been announced.