Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly update on FCNL’s environmental advocacy and the climate crisis.
Geothermal Development Incoming in House Energy Package
The House is expected to vote this week on a bipartisan package of energy bills designed to speed up development of geothermal energy. The Geothermal Energy Advancement Act (H.R. 5631), led by Rep. Jeff Hurd (CO-3), combines several proposals from both Republicans and Democrats that were unanimously approved by the House Natural Resources Committee earlier this year.
Geothermal energy harnesses heat from beneath the Earth’s surface to generate electricity and provide direct heating. These resources are most accessible in areas with thinner, fractured crust or tectonic plate boundaries, such as on the West Coast of the United States.
The package requires the Department of the Interior to process geothermal lease applications within 60 days after key federal requirements are completed and amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to accelerate environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for certain geothermal projects.
This legislation could help meet rising electricity demand, particularly from data centers, by expanding domestic energy production and improving grid reliability.
Climate-Change-Driven Heat Threatens the 2026 World Cup
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, new research suggests that players and fans may face greater heat risks this year than during the last World Cup hosted in the United States in 1994. A report from Imperial College London found that human-caused climate change has increased the likelihood of dangerous temperatures across the tournament’s 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The report uses wet bulb globe temperature—a measurement that combines heat, humidity, sunlight, and wind to assess stress on the human body—to predict how the games will feel. It finds that about five World Cup matches could be played under conditions that FIFPRO, the global players’ union, considers unsafe. By comparison, only three matches reached similar levels during the 1994 tournament. While FIFPRO recommends considering postponements at 83 degrees Fahrenheit, FIFA currently uses a higher threshold of 90 degrees.
The findings have prompted concern among players. Sixty current and former professionals recently signed an open letter urging FIFA to strengthen its heat safety policies before the tournament begins. Extreme heat can cause dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, and reduced athletic performance. The players also called on FIFA to address climate change more broadly by reducing reliance on fossil fuel sponsors.
Public Outcry on Massive Utah Data Center Pushes State Leaders to Reconsider
A proposed 40,000-acre data center development in northern Utah, known as the Stratos Project, has sparked growing public opposition over concerns about air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption. The project could become one of the largest data center campuses in the world, more than twice the size of Manhattan.
Public opposition has intensified in recent weeks. Nearly 4,000 protest letters were submitted against a proposed water right for the project, while more than 6,000 residents signed a petition urging state leaders to prioritize protecting the Great Salt Lake.
In response to the backlash, Utah Governor Spencer Cox distanced himself from the project’s rollout.
Environmental groups and residents have criticized the plan because of its impact on a region already struggling with air quality issues and the decline of the Great Salt Lake. This past month, I published a similar analysis of data centers’ impact in my home of Virginia. Nicknamed “Data Center Alley,” this region hosts the largest concentration on Earth. Citing the explosive growth of water-hungry data centers, American Rivers recently named the Potomac the most endangered river in the United States.
In addition to water, the Stratos Project threatens other environmental consequences for Utahns. Analysts estimate that a natural-gas-powered nine-gigawatt facility could increase Utah’s carbon emissions by roughly 64 percent. The project’s proposed natural gas infrastructure alone could emit roughly 35 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, making it one of the largest sources of emissions in the state.
While Gov. Cox supports expanding Utah’s energy production to meet growing demand from artificial intelligence, he said the project should not rely exclusively on natural gas. Instead, he suggested future phases should incorporate energy sources such as nuclear, geothermal, and solar power.
What We’re Reading:
- A First Among Major Nations, India is Industrializing with Solar | Grist
- Why Wildfire Experts Are So Worried About This Year’s Fire Season | Inside Climate News
- Why Michigan is Emerging as One of America’s Worst-hit Climate States | The Guardian
- Climate Resilience Project in Namibia and Angola Secures US$24.55 Million with Commonwealth Support | The Commonwealth
