Geothermal Energy and the Possibility of Narrative Unity in Environmental and Energy Law

As the United States seeks to address concerns about climate change and energy affordability through the deployment of renewable energy and natural gas, the tensions between energy law and environmental law have come into sharper relief. These two related fields are converging as never before because solutions to rising energy costs and the “wicked problem” of climate change often pit the impulses of energy and environmental agencies against one another. Applying a narrative theory approach, I contend that energy law and environmental law will continue to be in tension because they are grounded in different narratives, which in turn communicate different values, leading to differing policy objectives. This narrative difference is traced from the statutes governing environmental and energy law and explains why environmental and energy agencies struggle to effectively cooperate. I then argue that geothermal energy presents an opportunity to reconcile energy and environmental narratives. In doing so, geothermal energy production can appeal to multiple and seemingly disparate constituencies, stakeholders, and agencies. This Article concludes with practical suggestions for supporting geothermal energy through royalty rate and permitting reform.