Geothermal Production Expansion Act passes next hurdle in US
Drilling rig at Newberry project site, Oregon (source: KOHD)
Francisco Rojas
11 Jul 2014
The Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2013, S. 363 has been passed according to Oregon news, yet it is still pending of House approval.
Local News from Oregon inform that the Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2013, S. 363, that streamlines the federal geothermal leasing program to encourage development of geothermal power by making adjacent development rights available at fair market rates as been passed.
“This bill promotes clean energy development while protecting taxpayers,” Senator Wyden from Oregon said. “I encourage my colleagues on the House side to pass this bill so geothermal developers can get development rights at fair market value without having to wait for lease nominations or speculators driving up the price of leases.”
The same source informs that “the Bureau of Land Management manages geothermal projects on federal land under lease agreements and currently can lease about 250 million acres of federal land that contains geothermal power potential. Geothermal energy projects that are producing geothermal power under the BLM’s management currently make up about half of the total geothermal generating capacity in the United States. Oregon has the potential to produce at least 1,100 megawatts from geothermal resources – enough energy to power nearly a million homes.”
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Source: KTVZ News Website
