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ClearPath Action Rundown 
February 7th, 2025

Happy Friday! We are taking a pause next week and will be back Friday, February 21st. 

Congratulations to Brooke Rollins on her unanimous advancement by the Senate Agriculture Committee to be nominated as Secretary of Agriculture!

An earlier edition of this newsletter mischaracterized Brooke Rollins as having been fully confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of Agriculture. We regret this error.

1. ClearPath CEO testifies: critical minerals & U.S. national security

ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell testified on the urgent need to secure America’s critical mineral supply chains at Thursday’s HNR Energy and Mineral Resource Subcommittee hearing.

ClearPath’s Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Harrell testified before the House Natural Resources Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on the importance of securing America’s critical mineral supply chains, to ensure U.S. energy dominance and national security.

His testimony outlined a strategy that syncs U.S. R&D capabilities with targeted free market incentives, regulatory modernization, and proactive trade policies. The steps:

• Restore predictability to the permitting process;
• Streamline judicial review of administrative actions; 
• Derisk private investment in domestic mining and processing. 

What’s clear: “Out-subsidizing China is not an effective strategy, but targeted incentives, like the 45X tax credit, public-private partnerships, and low-cost debt financing, can foster investment and protect American industries from unfair competition,” said Harrell.

Plug in: Watch the full hearing here.

2. Congress full STEAM ahead on geothermal

Reps. Maloy (R-UT) and Lee (D-NV) along with Sens. Murkowski (R-AK) and Cortez Masto (D-NV) are reintroducing a bill supporting geothermal permitting reform.

The STEAM Act:

• Cuts government red tape by giving geothermal projects the same flexibility to explore and develop.
• Expedites the development of geothermal energy by extending a new categorical exclusion for geothermal resource confirmation wells.

Reps. Steel (R-CA) and Lee (D-NV) introduced this bipartisan legislation in the House last Congress. 

What’s clear: “In 2005, the U.S. faced an energy crisis and rightly granted oil and gas a categorical exclusion to produce more energy to meet demand. As the U.S. faces new challenges to meet rising demand, this bill helps achieve parity for 24/7, clean, reliable geothermal power,” said Jeremy Harrell, CEO of ClearPath Action. “This legislation is important in unlocking American geothermal energy to support our economy and the environment.”

3. Wright’s right: “Energy is not political”

DOE Chief of Staff and former ClearPath senior director Alex Fitzsimmons swears in DOE Secretary Chris Wright

Newly confirmed Energy Secretary Chris Wright is starting off strong with a heavy push for a new narrative surrounding the U.S. energy agenda, ordering DOE to “unleash American energy.”

"I want to better energize our country, strengthen our country, advance science, advance the cause of basic science, and get the politics out of all of this,” said Wright.

What Wright’s working on:

• Review of DOE R&D, to ensure a focus on affordable, reliable, and secure energy technologies;
• Returning to “regular order” regarding liquefied natural gas exports;
• Launching an American “nuclear renaissance” and commercializing next-generation nuclear power;
• Strengthening the grid to meet soaring energy demand; and
• Streamlining permitting for new energy infrastructure.

Congratulations, Secretary Wright!

4. NASEO launches small nuclear reactors first mover coalition

Utah recently joined the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative to accelerate the deployment of advanced reactors in the U.S.

This initiative: 

• Addresses supply chain needs;
• Streamlines federal permitting;
• Explores public-private partnerships; and
• Involves Wyoming, Tennessee, Indiana and Virginia among other states.

What they are saying: “The State of Indiana is committed to identifying the strongest pathways for advancing new nuclear projects,” said Indiana Governor Mike Braun. “By co-leading the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative, Indiana will be able to facilitate innovative new partnerships across states and industry, identify supportive policy mechanisms, and develop new tools for decreasing project risk.”

What’s clear: The U.S. needs to grow its nuclear order book to meet the resurgence in domestic manufacturing, the advent of artificial intelligence and the electrification of everything from heating our homes to heavy industry. Nuclear energy is an ideal solution to accomplish these challenges.

5. Texas A&M advancing nuclear

Texas A&M University System has offered land to four nuclear companies to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) at its technology and innovation campus. The group of nuclear companies include Kairos Power, Natura Resources, Terrestrial Energy and Aalo Atomics. More details of the announcement include:

• The Texas A&M System is in the process of applying for an Early Site Permit (ESP) to streamline the regulatory process. 
• The project aims to test innovative nuclear technologies that can reach commercialization within the next five years. 
• This site will host multiple SMRs, providing more than one gigawatt of electricity generation.  

What’s clear: Texas is making a big push for nuclear energy. Gov. Abbott (R-TX) in conjunction with the Texas A&M System, is determined to position Texas as the leader in deploying new nuclear energy. 

Plug in: Learn more about this project, “The Energy Proving Ground” here.

6. Zanskar completed first step-out production well

Zanskar, a Utah-based company using AI to find and develop geothermal energy resources, completed its first geothermal step-out production well eight months after acquiring it. 

The company’s Lightning Dock project is: 

• A 15 MW geothermal power plant in Hidalgo County, New Mexico; and
• Positioned to become the most productive U.S. pumped geothermal well in operation.

Zanskar’s research approach focuses on demonstrating:

• How modern data collection can improve geothermal site discovery and characterization.
• The ability to produce more energy than industry and current markets think is possible. 

What’s clear: Geothermal is one of the best near-term options for clean, firm power at scale. Scaling geothermal energy faster and more cost-effectively starts with conventional geothermal resources.

7. Clean energy still very popular with voters

ClearPath Action has been studying how American voters think about clean energy for close to a decade and our latest numbers from this month are encouraging! A few toplines include: 

• 78% of voters believe it is important that their Member of Congress supports policies that promote clean energy. 
• 77% support tax incentives for American companies that develop clean energy technology. 
• 76% support tax incentives for American manufacturers who find ways to emit less carbon from things like steel and cement. 
• 70% support reforms to fix the lengthy permitting process that slows the building of new clean energy generation.

8. ICYMI

• Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) and Jimmy Panetta’s (D-CA) reintroduced their bill, Studying NEPA’s Impact on Projects Act.
  
• Hon. Theodore J. Garrish was nominated for Assistant Secretary of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy.

ClearPath believes America must lead the world in innovation over regulation…markets over mandates…providing affordable, reliable, clean energy. 

That's all from us. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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