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Bureau of Land Management

Geothermal Lease

A geothermal lease confers te right to explore for, drill, produce and utilize geothermal resources on federal lands with limitations. Subsequent permits required prior to any surface disturbing activities. Geothermal leases have a primary term of ten years. A lessee that has not developed a well capable of producing geothermal resources in commercial quantities by the end of the ten- year primary term can apply for an initial five-year extension and an additional five-year extension by meeting diligent exploration expenditure requirements.

Wild Scenic Rivers Act Determination Coordination

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act prohibits a federal agency from issuing a permit, license, loan, grant, or other assistance for an activity that would adversely affect the free‐flow, water quality, or outstandingly remarkable river values of a national wild and scenic river or corridor. The river administering agency (BLM, FWS, NPS, or USFS) makes the determination about effects, and coordinates with proponents to achieve compliant projects.

Special Use Permit BLM

Special Use Permit (no form). In split estate where BLM is the surface management (the mineral estate was not reserved to the Federal government), a special use permit, usually, a rights-of-way (ROW) is required to occupy the surface. The drilling permit will be approved by the appropriate State agency.

Site License DOI BLM

Site License (no form) means BLM's written authorization to site a utilization facility on leased Federal lands.

Right of Way Authorization DOI BLM

Applications for proposed rights‐of‐way over, upon, under, or through public lands including, but not limited to, grants for wind energy site testing and monitoring, power distribution lines, trails, highways, communication site facilities, water retention basins, and water conveyance pipelines. The processing of right‐of‐way applications must comply with the BLM’s regulatory requirements, including those for planning, environmental, and right‐of‐way. BLM may approve application, approve the application with modifications, or deny the application.

Operations Plan Surface Use Plan

Operations plan means a plan which fully describes the location of proposed drill pad, access roads and other facilities related to the drilling and testing of Federal geothermal resources, and includes measures for environmental and other resources protection and mitigation. The operations plan undergoes NEPA review. Once approved, then geothermal drilling permit application(s) can be approved.

Geothermal Sundry Notice

Sundry notice is a written request to perform work not covered by another type of permit, or to change operations in a previously approved permit.

Geothermal Project Utilization Plan Facility Construction Permit and Site License

A Utilization Plan (no form, 43 CFR 3272) describes how the geothermal resource will be used, including all of the proposed structures and facilities and their locations necessary for plant operations, as well as plans for final reclamation and decommissioning. These documents are submitted as part of the NEPA process. The Utilization Plan also includes the construction permit for construction and operation of the electric generation facilities, direct‐use steam plants, and related facility and well field operations, including well field production and injection.

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