Final programmatic environmental impact statement for geothermal leasing in the western United States

the long version

In accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the project's goal are: (1) to make geothermal leasing decisions on pending lease applications submitted prior to January 1, 2005; and (2) to facilitate geothermal leasing decisions on other existing and future lease applications and nominations on the federal mineral estate in the western United States. Approximately 143 million acres of public lands administered by the BLM and 104 million acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands contain geothermal resources suitable for commercial electrical generation and direct uses, such as heating. Lands that are part of the National Park System and National Wildlife Refuge System are closed to geothermal leasing. The BLM and FS are proposing to allocate approximately 118 million acres of public lands and 79 million acres of NFS lands as open to geothermal leasing subject to existing laws, regulations, formal orders, stipulations attached to the lease form, and terms and conditions of the standard lease form. To protect special resource values, the BLM and FS have developed a comprehensive list of stipulations, conditions of approval, and best management practices ́Œ The PEIS also provides site-specific analysis for 19 pending lease applications submitted prior to January 1, 2005, that are located in seven geographical clusters throughout Alaska, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.