---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 15874"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "15874"
heading: "Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/15874"
units:
  - "Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs"
  - "Subchapter II — Renewable Energy"
  - "Part B — Geothermal Energy"
---

# §15874. Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium

- (a) **Participation authorized—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4), acting through the Idaho [National Laboratory](/usc/42/15801.md?p=3), may participate in a [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) described in [subsection (b)](#b) to address science and science policy issues surrounding the expanded discovery and use of geothermal energy, including from geothermal resources on public lands.
- (b) **Members—** The [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) shall—
  - (1) be known as the “Intermountain West Geothermal [Consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4)”;
  - (2) be a regional [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) of institutions and government [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) that focuses on building collaborative efforts among the universities in the [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2) of Idaho, other regional universities, [State agencies](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=12), and the Idaho [National Laboratory](/usc/42/15801.md?p=3);
  - (3) include Boise [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2) University, the University of Idaho (including the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute), the Oregon Institute of Technology, the Desert Research Institute with the University and Community College System of Nevada, and the Energy and Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah;
  - (4) be hosted and managed by Boise [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2) University; and
  - (5) have a [director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) appointed by Boise [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2) University, and associate [directors](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) appointed by each participating institution.
- (c) **Financial assistance—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4), acting through the Idaho [National Laboratory](/usc/42/15801.md?p=3) and subject to the availability of appropriations, will provide financial assistance to Boise [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2) University for expenditure under contracts with members of the [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) to carry out the activities of the [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 237, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 673.)