Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, United States
Published: September 4, 2008, 10:12 pm
Updated: September 4, 2008, 10:12 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Cutler J. Cleveland
Geothermal power plant at the Geysers, CA. Photo: DOE
To encourage the development of geothermal energy, the United States government passed the Geothermal Steam Act in 1970 allowing the leasing of land containing geothermal resources; however, Congress excluded any lands within the National Park System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands, and any other lands prohibited from leasing by the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administrates the Act, issuing distinct authorizations for the exploration, development, production, and closeout of a geothermal resource. When a lessee first receives a lease, they have ten years to reach a certain level of development with the land; upon demonstrating such development, BLM extends their lease to 40 years, after which time they have the right to renew their lease. According to the Act, if the leasing of lands for the development of geothermal energy causes unnecessary degradation of public lands or resources, the BLM does not have the right to lease that land. The Act also made the BLM responsible for maintaining geothermal features within the National Park System.
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Citation
Ida Kubiszewski PhD (Lead Author);Cutler J. Cleveland (Topic Editor) "Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, United States". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth September 4, 2008; Last revised Date September 4, 2008; Retrieved June 18, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Geothermal_Steam_Act_of_1970,_United_States>
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Stewardship Committee
The Encyclopedia of Earth
Dr. Ida Kubiszewski is a Senior Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy at Australian National University. She is also a co-founder and former-Managing Editor the Encyclopedia of Earth. Dr. Kubiszewki is currently working as the Managing Editor for a magazine/journal hybrid called Solutions. Solutions is an outlet for discussions focusing on solutions to the complex problems we are now facing in ... (Full Bio)
Geothermal power plant at the Geysers, CA. Photo: DOE
To encourage the development of geothermal energy, the United States government passed the Geothermal Steam Act in 1970 allowing the leasing of land containing geothermal resources; however, Congress excluded any lands within the National Park System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands, and any other lands prohibited from leasing by the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administrates the Act, issuing distinct authorizations for the exploration, development, production, and closeout of a geothermal resource. When a lessee first receives a lease, they have ten years to reach a certain level of development with the land; upon demonstrating such development, BLM extends their lease to 40 years, after which time they have the right to renew their lease. According to the Act, if the leasing of lands for the development of geothermal energy causes unnecessary degradation of public lands or resources, the BLM does not have the right to lease that land. The Act also made the BLM responsible for maintaining geothermal features within the National Park System.
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