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BLM invites the public to comment on Bailey Mountain Geothermal Exploration Project Environmental Assessment

Organization:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Cedar City Field Office

Media Contact:

CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) invites the public to review and comment on an Environmental Assessment for the Bailey Mountain Geothermal Exploration Project. Ormat Nevada, Inc. proposes to construct and operate up to 20 geothermal exploration wells in Beaver County, Utah, approximately four miles north of Milford. The project’s environmental assessment will be open to a 30-day public comment period.

“Public input is critical in ensuring that we consider all potential impacts to the land, resources, and programs we manage,” said BLM Cedar City Field Manager Paul Briggs. “This is just one piece of a diverse portfolio of existing and upcoming projects directly related to current Administration priorities for renewable energy.”

Ormat Nevada, Inc. intends to explore the geothermal energy production potential which, if found, could provide additional sources of reliable renewable energy. The wells proposed as part of the project would be located within federal geothermal leases on public lands managed by the BLM and leased by Ormat Nevada, Inc. The area of interest for the project encompasses approximately 1,885 acres.

The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands that have the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. To promote our clean energy goals, the BLM provides sites for environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public lands and new transmission routes to connect into the grid. These efforts to deploy renewable energy from our nation’s public lands support the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, as well as Congress’ direction in the Energy Act of 2020 to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025.

The BLM must receive written comments by March 24, 2022, to be considered. Please note that the most useful comments are specific and contain new technical or scientific information relevant to the proposed action. Comments that contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. 

Documents and the instructions to comment are available on the BLM ePlanning website. If you do not have digital access to the documents and would like to view a copy, please call the Cedar City Field Office at (435) 865-3000, Monday through Friday during business hours, except holidays. Written comments may be emailed, mailed, or submitted via the BLM ePlanning website. Please reference “Bailey Mountain Geothermal” when submitting comments.

Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment—including personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

For additional information, please contact Ed Ginouves, Cedar City Field Office Geologist, at (435) 865-3040. People who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
 

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.