of 82
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The Geothermal Leasing PEIS A Users GuideApril, May and June 2009
Workshops Across the West
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Four steps of geothermal
development
1. Exploration2. Drilling
3. Utilization and production
4. Reclamation and abandonment
A lease is need prior to conducting
steps 2 -4
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Why is federal
action needed?Respond to requirements of the
Energy Policy Act 2005 & ExecutiveOrder 13212
1. Reduce 90% of backlogged leases
that existed prior to Jan 1, 2005
2. Improve the effectiveness ofgeothermal leasing in the 12
Western US, including Alaska
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What is the purpose of thefederal action?
To complete the processing of active pendinggeothermal lease applications andnominations.
To amend BLM land use plans to allocateBLM-administered lands with geothermal
resource potential as closed, open, or openwith major or moderate constraints togeothermal leasing.
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What is the purpose of the
federal action? (continued)
To provide information to the ForestService (FS) to facilitate its subsequentconsent decision to the BLM for leasing
on National Forest System (NFS) lands,and to provide environmental analysis toassist future NFS land use decisions by
providing possible land use allocationsand stipulations for geothermal leasing.
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Geothermal Leasing PEIS1. Record of Decision (ROD) signed
December 2008
2. Scope: 12 Western States and over142 million acres BLM public land
and 103 million acres of NFS land
3. Expedited process: 18 months from
Notice of Intent (NOI) to ROD4. Amended 114 BLM land use plans
5. Assessed 19 lease applications
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Geothermal ROD - BLM
The ROD allows the BLM to makefuture decisions on whether or not to
issue geothermal leases inconformance with the amended landuse plan on the basis of the analysis
in the Programmatic EnvironmentalImpact Statement (PEIS).
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Geothermal ROD BLMContinued
It is the intent of the BLM that, uponreceipt of future nominations orapplications for leases, affected BLM
offices would be able to conduct aDocumentation of Land Use PlanConformance and NEPA Adequacy (DNA)evaluation to make lease sale decisions
without further plan amendments or NEPAanalysis, unless new information orspecial circumstances require additionalenvironmental evaluation.
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Geothermal ROD BLMContinued
Prior to issuing leases, the BLM andFS would conduct additional
environmental reviews, asappropriate, to comply with otherlaws, including but not limited to the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) andthe National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA).
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Geothermal ROD BLMContinued
In addition, prior to making a leasingdecision on lands in proximity to aNational Park System unit, the BLM or
other surface management agency mustdetermine if there would be any impacts tothermal or hydrological features within theunit, in accordance with the GeothermalSteam Act Amendments (30 USC Section
1026).
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Forest Service PlansThe ROD does not amend FS Plans,
however, the PEIS provides information tothe FS to facilitate its subsequent consent
decision to the BLM for leasing on NFSlands, and provides environmental
analysis to assist future NFS land use
decisions by providing possible land useallocations and stipulations for geothermal
leasing.
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Scope:RFD Scenario and Location
1. Electrical Generation (indirect use)
3,000 MW in US
5,500 MW from 110 plants by 2015
An additional 6,600 MW from 132 plants by2025
2. Direct Use
RFD: Over 270 communities near geothermal
resources
RFD = Reasonably Foreseeable Development
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Estimated CommercialDevelopment
State 2015 (MW) 2025 (MW)
California 2375 4703
Nevada 1473 2880
Idaho 855 1670
Oregon 380 1250
Utah 230 620
Washington 50 600
New Mexico 80 170
Alaska 20 150
Arizona 20 50
Colorado 20 50
Montana 20 50
Wyoming 20 50
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Planning Area
GeothermalPotential Area =
530 million acres
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Collaborative Partnersfor the
Geothermal Potential Area MapFederal Agencies
Marshall Reid, US Geological Survey
Colin Williams, US Geological Survey Joe Moore, US DOE and Energy &Geoscience Institute, Univ. of Utah
Joel Renner, Idaho National Laboratory(INL)
State Governments
State of Colorado State of Nevada State of Utah
State of Alaska State of California State of Idaho State of Oregon State of Washington
State of Arizona State of New Mexico
State Governments (Continued)
State of Wyoming
State of Montana
Research Institutes
Great Basin Center for GeothermalEnergy, University of Nevada, Reno
GeoHeat Center, Oregon Institute ofTechnology
Energy and Geoscience Institute,University of Utah
Intermountain West GeothermalConsortium
Geothermal Laboratory, SouthernMethodist University
Private Industry
Ormat Technologies, Inc.
Enel North America, Inc. Calpine Corporation US Geothermal
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Decision Area
248M Acres
BLM Public Land
142M Acres
Administered by
103 Field Offices
NFS Land
103M Acres
68 Natl. Forests
>250 Ranger Dists
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Proposed Action1. Identify and analyze the effects of public andNFS lands with geothermal potential as being
opened or closed to leasing;2. Develop a comprehensive list of stipulations,
best management practices, and procedures
to serve as consistent guidance for futuregeothermal leasing and development;
3. Amend BLM Resource Management Plans
(RMPs) to adopt the land use allocations andlist of stipulations, BMPs, and procedures; and
4. Make decisions to issue or deny geothermal
lease applications on BLM and NFS landspending as of January 1, 2005.
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Proposed Action
Open to Leasing (77%)BLM: 111M acres
NFS: 79M acres
Closed to Leasing
BLM: 25M acres
NFS: 24M acres
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Allocations Continued Non-discretionary Closed Lands
National Recreation AreasDesignated Wild Rivers under WSRA
The Island Park Geothermal AreaWithdrawn lands under Section 17(d)(1) of
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
Valles Caldera National Preserve, NewMexico
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Allocations Continued Administratively Closed Lands
National Landmarks and Research NaturalAreas
Military Reservations encompassing publiclands are OPEN, except where geothermaldevelopment conflicts with mission
Areas previously closed to fluid mineralsdevelopment in approved land use plans.
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Stipulations and BMPs Stipulations: Specific conditions to
protect environmental values.Stipulations developed from review of land
use plans and from existing geothermal and
oil and gas stipulationsTypes: No Surface Occupancy (NSO) /
Controlled Surface Use (CSU) / Timing
Limitations (TL) / resource specificApplied only if no other protection
measures are available
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The Art of Stipulations
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Stipulations and BMPs No Surface Occupancy
Considered a major constraint and areappropriate when the standard lease stips andBMPs are insufficientDesignated or proposed critical habitat for listed
species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)Properties designated or eligible for the National
Register of Historic PlacesAreas with important cultural and archeological
resourcesWater bodies, riparian areas, wetlands and 100-
year floodplains
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Stipulations and BMPs No Surface Occupancy (Continued)
Recreation and special use areasDesignated and eligible segments of Wild
and Scenic Rivers
Designated important viewsheds (VisualResource Management Class I)
Slopes in excess of 40% and/or high
erosion potentialAreas with special resource values for
subsistence needs in Alaska
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Stipulations and BMPsTiming Limitations and Controlled Surface Use
Timing limitations contain language to begeneral enough that field offices would havethe capability to add site specific stipulations
from existing plans or NEPA that fit in thegeneral categories of the PEIS
Protection of riparian and wetland habitat
Protection of visual resources
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Stipulations and BMPsTiming Limitations and Controlled Surface
Use Continued
Protection of recreational areas
Compatibility with urban interface
Protection of erosive soils and soils on
slopes greater than 30 percentProtection of important habitat andmigration corridors
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Stipulations and BMPsOther Lease Stipulations
Protection of Geothermal Features ofNational Parks Significant thermal features (e.g. Yellowstone
National Park)Endangered Species Act Stipulation
In accordance with BLM IM 2002-174
Sensitive Species Stipulation Agency designated sensitive species (e.g.
Sage Grouse)
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Stipulations and BMPs Other Lease Stipulations Continued
Cultural Resources Stipulation In accordance with BLM IM 2005-003
Roadless Area Stipulation
Issuance of a non-discretionary restriction onany leases within NFS inventoried roadlessareas.
No new road construction or reconstructionwould be allowed in designated roadless areas.
If legislation change roadless area designation,the restriction will be revised.
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Stipulations and BMPsBMPs: Best Management Practices are
standards implemented to effectively accomplisha desired outcome
Developed from comprehensive review of LUP
and from existing geothermal and oil and gasguidance
Provided BMPs for all four phases of geothermal
development (exploration, drilling, utilization, andreclamation)
Applied as part of permits for post leasingdevelopment
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Management Procedures
for Geothermal Leasing Prior to land being included in a geothermal
lease sale, the BLM will:Assess the land for the presence of identified
species, habitat, or other sensitive resources,
consult with local tribes, collaborate with state andlocal agencies, collaborate with the National ParkService, assess the adequacy of existing NEPAdocumentation and conformance with existing landuse plans
Coordinate with the FS and the FS will provide aconsent determination
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A proponent comes into a BLM orForest Service office with a leaseapplication:
WHAT DOES the BLM or FS DO?
1. Look at maps and allocations
2. Identify Stipulations3. Document NEPA adequacy
4. Coordinate and Consult
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GIS AvailabilityThe GIS data and maps used in the
analysis are available at:www.blm.gov/geothermal_eis
Data is dynamic
Check with local BLM Field Offices orForests for updated data
Useful resource:
www.geocommunicator.gov
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BLM Plan Amendment
Approach
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BLM Plan AmendmentsTwo Types of Amendments:
Plans that have been completed.
Plans that are currently under revision.
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BLM Plan Amendments
The ROD amends LUPs/RMPs that did notadequately address geothermal leasing by:
Identifying lands available for leasing
Defining stipulations
Providing BMPs
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BLM Plan Amendments
Plans that are currently under revision willneed to include the stipulations and BMPsidentified in the PEIS along with any
known site-specific stipulations that pertainto the plans decision area.
Alaska
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AlaskaOpen and Closed Public Lands
Alaska
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AlaskaOpen and Closed NFS Lands
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Alaska
BLM Plan Amendments
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Arizona
Openand
ClosedLands
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Arizona
BLM Plan Amendments
A i
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Arizona
BLM Plan Amendmentscontinued
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CaliforniaOpen
andClosed
Lands
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California
BLM Plan Amendments
C lif i
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California
BLM Plan AmendmentsContinued
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California
BLM Plan AmendmentsContinued
Colorado
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Colorado
Open and Closed Lands
Colorado
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Colorado
BLM Plan Amendments
Colorado
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Colorado
BLM Plan AmendmentsContinued
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IdahoOpen
andClosedLands
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Idaho
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IdahoBLM Plan Amendments
Continued
Montana
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Montana
Open and Closed Lands
Montana
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Montana
BLM Plan Amendments
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NevadaOpen and
ClosedLands
Nevada
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Nevada
BLM Plan Amendments
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NewMexico
Openand
ClosedLands
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New Mexico
BLM Plan Amendments
Oregon
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Oregon
Open and Closed Lands
Oregon
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OregonBLM Plan Amendments
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UtahOpen
andClosed
Lands
Utah
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BLM Plan Amendments
Washington
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Washington
Open and Closed Lands
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WashingtonBLM Plan Amendments
Wyoming
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Wyoming
Open and Closed Lands
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WyomingBLM Plan Amendments
Wyoming
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Wyoming
BLM Plan AmendmentsContinued
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Tiered Analysis in the PEISIt is the intent of the BLM, that upon receipt of
future nominations or applications for a lease,affected BLM offices would be able to conduct aDetermination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA)
evaluation by tiering to the PEIS to make leasesale decisions without further NEPA unless newinformation or special circumstances require
additional environmental evaluation.
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TieringTiering refers to the coverage of general mattersin broader environmental impact statements
(such as national program or policy statements)with subsequent narrower statements orenvironmental analysis (42 CFR 1508.28)
Agencies are encouraged to tier theirenvironmental impact statements to eliminaterepetitive discussions of the same issues and tofocus on the actual issues ripe for decision at
each level of environmental review (42 CFR 1502.20)
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Pending Lease Applications
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Pending Lease Applications
(The EP Act mandated that 90% of pending lease applicationssubmitted prior to 1/1/05 be cleared by August 2010)
As of Jan. 1, 2005: 194 lease applications
were pending134 BLM and 60 FS
A rigorous vetting process of pendinglease applications was conducted
As of June 5, 2008, 34 still pending andcleared:
19 pending applications in 7 groups areassessed in the PEIS (16 FS, 2 BLM, 1 joint)
15 pending applications are being handled inseparate decision processes by BLM and FS
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Tiered Analysis in the PEIS Volume II of the PEIS contains
supplemental environmental analysis ofthe 19 lease areas
BLM and FS will issue separate RODsfor each lease cluster
Serves as a template for future tiering
analysis to the PEIS if needed
Consultation
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(under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
and Section 106 of the National HistoricPreservation Act)
Prior to making lease decisions on federallands, the BLM would conduct additionalenvironmental review in order to comply
with other laws, such as the EndangeredSpecies Act (ESA) and the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
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Consultation with
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Consultation with
Tribes
Both the BLM and FS conductedcomprehensive consultation with morethan 450 tribes in the 12 western states
Tribal officials, members, or staff
attended several of the scopingsessions and public hearings in the 12
western states
Consultation with
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Consultation with
Tribes (Continued)
Dialogue and communication wereconducted throughout the process with
several tribes
Consultation will continue throughoutimplementation
Benefits of the
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Benefits of the
Geothermal PEIS Issue decisions on pending lease
applications Enable future leasing decisions
Ensure environmentally soundrenewable energy development
Ensure consistency and transparency inthe leasing process
Minimize delays
Reduce costs
F M I f i
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For More Information
Jack G. Peterson, USDI-BLM
National Project Manager(208) [email protected]
David Batts, EMPSiProject Manager
(303) [email protected]
Tracy Parker, USDA-FS
National Project Manager(703) [email protected]
Kermit Witherbee, USDI-BLMGeothermal Program Manager
(202) [email protected]
www.blm.gov/geothermal_eis
