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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 2234

California Environmental Quality Act: geothermal exploratory projects.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if the lead agency finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. Existing law establishes the Geologic Energy Management Division in the Department of Conservation. Existing law requires the division to be the lead agency for all geothermal exploratory projects for purposes of CEQA, except as provided. Existing law defines "geothermal exploratory project," for purposes of CEQA, in part as a project composed of not more than 6 wells and associated drilling and testing equipment whose chief and original purpose is to evaluate the presence and characteristics of geothermal resources. Existing law requires wells included within a geothermal exploratory project to be located at least 12 mile from geothermal development wells that are capable of producing geothermal resources in commercial quantities. This bill would expressly include, as part of a geothermal exploratory project, equipment and activities necessary to establish interconnectivity between wells and reservoirs, as provided. The bill would specify that the above-described 12 mile limit is measured from all points along the wellhead location and well course, including the bottom of the well, as provided.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 12:15 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Aug 31, 2026
House		AB 2234 Papan Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Aug 30, 2026
Senate		3rd Reading AB2234 Papan By LairdpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 13, 2026
Senate		Do pass as amendedpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 3, 2026
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jul 1, 2026
Senate		Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jun 24, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Natural Resources and Water]passSet your home in California to see
May 27, 2026
House		AB 2234 Papan Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 14, 2026
House		Do pass.passSet your home in California to see
Apr 6, 2026
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see

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