Geothermal Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1974
Public Law 93-410 · H.R. 14920 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Sep 3, 1974 · Energy
Sponsor: Rep. Mike McCormack (D-WA-4)
Cosponsors (20): Rep. Olin Teague, Rep. Charles Mosher,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Geothermal Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act -
=Title I: Geothermal Energy Coordination and Management Project= - Establishes the Geothermal Energy Coordination and Management Project having overall responsiblity for the provision of effective management and coordination with respect to a national geothermal energy research, development, and demonstration program.
Directs the Chairman of the Project to initiate a resource inventory and assessment program with the objective of making regional and national appraisals of all types of geothermal resources, including identification of promising target areas for industrial exploration and development.
Directs the Chairman to initiate a research and development program for the purpose of resolving all major technical problems inhibiting the fullest possible commercial utilization of geothermal resources in the United States.
Directs the Chairman to implement a coordinated program of research and development in order to demonstrate the technical means for the extraction and utilization of the resource base, including any byproducts of such base, and in order to accomplish the goals established by this Act.
Directs the Chairman to initiate a program to design and construct geothermal demonstration plants.
Authorizes the Chairman to investigate and enter into agreements for the cooperative development of facilities to demonstrate the production of energy from geothermal resources.
Authorizes the National Science Foundation to support programs of education in the sciences and engineering to carry out the policy of this Act, such support to include fellowships, traineeships, technical training programs, technologist training programs, and summer institute programs.
=Title II: Loan Guaranties= - Authorizes the Chairman of the Project to designate an appropriate Federal agency to guarantee loans to encourage and assist in the commercial development of practicable means to produce useful energy from geothermal resources. Limits such guaranties to 75 percent of the aggregate cost of the project with respect to which the loan is made.
Sets forth terms and conditions for such loan guaranties.
Establishes in the Treasury of the United States the Geothermal Resources Development Fund to carry out the loan guarranty program authorized by this Title.
=Title III: General Provisions= - Requires the Project and any of its participants to place particular emphasis on assuring that the environment and the safety of persons and property are protected.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Sep 3, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-410.
- Aug 22, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Aug 21, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Aug 20, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Aug 19, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1301.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1301.
- Jul 22, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Jul 17, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Jul 11, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2465.
- Jul 10, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #369 (404-3).House roll call 369
- Jun 17, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- May 21, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.