---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 2917"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "2917"
heading: "Development of geothermal energy on military lands"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/2917"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part IV — Service, Supply, and Property"
  - "Chapter 173 — Energy Security"
  - "Subchapter I — Energy Security Activities"
---

# §2917. Development of geothermal energy on military lands

- (a) **Development Authorized.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of a [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may develop, or authorize the development of, any geothermal energy resource within lands under the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3)’s jurisdiction, including public lands, for the use or benefit of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense if that development is in the public interest, as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5), and will not deter commercial development and use of other portions of such resource if offered for leasing.
- (b) **Consideration of Energy Security.—** The development of a geothermal energy project under [subsection (a)](#a) should include consideration of [energy security](/usc/10/101.md?p=f-7) in the design and development of the project.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 97–214, § 6(c)(1), July 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 172, § 2689; renumbered § 2917, Pub. L. 109–364, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2851(b)(1), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2494; amended Pub. L. 112–81, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2822(c), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1692.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2011—Pub. L. 112–81 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).

2006—Pub. L. 109–364 renumbered section 2689 of this title as this section.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1982, and applicable to military construction projects, and to construction and acquisition of military family housing authorized before, on, or after such date, see section 12(a) of Pub. L. 97–214, set out as a note under section 2801 of this title.