AB 2234: California Environmental Quality Act: geothermal exploratory projects.
What AB 2234 does, verified October 2, 2026
This bill aims to update California's environmental regulations for geothermal exploratory projects. The project would include equipment and activities necessary to establish interconnectivity between wells and reservoirs. Existing law requires wells to be at least 1/2 mile from geothermal development wells, but this bill would exclude certain wells connecting to geothermal reservoirs from this distance requirement. The bill is intended to facilitate the evaluation of geothermal resources and support the development of commercial geothermal energy.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
✓Second ChamberComplete
✓GovernorComplete
6ChapteredCurrent
Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 927, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-30)Alert me
Quick answers about AB 2234
- What is the current status of AB 2234?
- As of October 2, 2026, AB 2234 is recorded as "Chaptered/Signed": it has been signed by the Governor and chaptered into law. The last recorded action, on September 30, 2026, was "Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 927, Statutes of 2026".
- Did AB 2234 pass?
- Yes. AB 2234 passed both houses and was signed into law (last action September 30, 2026). Most California bills signed in a given year take effect on January 1 of the following year, unless the bill carries an urgency clause or sets its own operative date.
- Who wrote AB 2234, and where is it now?
- AB 2234 was authored by Asm. Diane Papan. It is filed under Public Resources, alongside 269 other California Public Resources bills this session.
Author and sponsors
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| Sep. 30, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 927, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 30, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 15, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6967.). |
| Aug. 30, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 30, 2026 · 479 words
Assembly Bill No. 2234
CHAPTER 927
An act to amend Section 21065.5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to geothermal resources.
[ Approved by Governor September 30, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 30, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2234, Papan. California Environmental Quality Act: geothermal exploratory projects.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if the lead agency finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.
Existing law establishes the Geologic Energy Management Division in the Department of Conservation. Existing law requires the division to be the lead agency for all geothermal exploratory projects for purposes of CEQA, except as provided. Existing law defines “geothermal exploratory project,” for purposes of CEQA, in part as a project composed of not more than 6 wells and associated drilling and testing equipment whose chief and original purpose is to evaluate the presence and characteristics of geothermal resources. Existing law requires wells included within a geothermal exploratory project to be located at least 1/2 mile from geothermal development wells that are capable of producing geothermal resources in commercial quantities.
This bill would expressly include, as part of a geothermal exploratory project, equipment and activities necessary to establish interconnectivity between wells and reservoirs, as provided. The bill would specify that the above-described 1/2 mile limit is measured from all points along the wellhead location and well course, including the bottom of the well, as provided.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 21065.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:21065.5.
“Geothermal exploratory project” means a project as defined in Section 21065 composed of not more than six wells and associated drilling and testing equipment, including equipment and activities necessary to establish interconnectivity between wells and reservoirs, whose chief and original purpose is to evaluate the presence and characteristics of geothermal resources before commencement of a geothermal field development project as defined in Section 65928.5 of the Government Code. Wells included within a geothermal exploratory project shall be located at least one-half mile, measured from all points along the wellhead location and well course, including the bottom of the well, from geothermal development wells that are capable of producing geothermal resources in commercial quantities.Text of AB 2234 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions