BLM publishes scoping letter for planned Idaho geothermal lease sale
Bruneau Sand Dunes, Snake River Plain, Idaho (source: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Carlo Cariaga
7 Jan 2025
The Bureau of Land Management has published a scoping letter to solicit for comments on a proposed geothermal lease sale in Owyhee County, Idaho.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Bruneau Field Office has published a scoping letter to inform interested and affected parties of a proposed geothermal lease sale covering 50,126 acres in Owyhee County, Idaho. Analysis of the proposal is ongoing and will be documented in an Environmental Analysis (EA) which is targeted to be completed by September 2025.
Comments made on this proposal should be received by 15 January 2025. Comments can be submitted through the project eplanning website or by email to BLM_ID_BruneauOffice@blm.gov.
The need for the action is BLM’s responsibility to respond to the nomination of public lands for geothermal leasing under the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, as amended, and the National Energy Policy Act of 2005 to promote the development of geothermal energy on the public domain.
The Bruneau Field Office is considering a proposal to offer 109 parcels totaling 50,126 acres in a competitive Geothermal Lease Sale. These parcels were nominated by the public. The nominated parcels are located within the Snake River Plain, in rural areas. Land uses include livestock grazing and agriculture, utility and road rights-of-way (ROW), and wildlife habitat.
A geothermal lease typically grants the lessee access to geothermal resources in the lease area for a period of 10 years. The terms of the lease require the lessee to show a certain level of diligence toward developing the geothermal resources within the lease area or the lease may be terminated. Once an area is developed for productive use of geothermal energy, the lease allows the lessee use of the resource for 35 years with a right of renewal for another 55 years.
The BLM is required to hold a competitive lease sale at least once every two-years if there are nominations pending (43 CFR § 3202.13). Highly successful geothermal lease sales have been done by the BLM in the past years, particularly in Nevada.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
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