Bureau of Land Management to hold October geothermal lease sale
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RENO, Nev. – In keeping with the Administration’s goal of promoting American energy security, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding a competitive geothermal lease sale on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. The agency will offer 18 parcels for leases totaling 35,632.680 acres in Carson City, Churchill, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing and Washoe counties in Nevada. The lease sale will be held online at www.energynet.com, and the open bidding period will begin at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time or 7 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Each parcel will have its own unique open bidding period, with start and stop times clearly identified on the auction website. The open bidding period for each parcel will run for one hour from start to finish, and bids will only be accepted during a parcel’s open bidding period. Parcels may be viewed on the EnergyNet website approximately 10 business days after the posting of this sale notice on the BLM website.
“BLM partners with the Nevada Division of Minerals, Tribal governments and private industry to develop the vast geothermal resources available in Nevada,” said Kemba Anderson, BLM Nevada Branch Chief for Fluid Minerals. “We currently have twenty operating geothermal power plants and additional geothermal projects are expected to greatly increase that capacity in the future.”
Renewable energy development includes consideration of parcels nominated for leasing as well as potential resource impacts for each parcel. The sale notice and parcel list are available as paper copies at the BLM Nevada State Office Information Access Center. There is a $5 charge if they are mailed to the requestor. The next geothermal lease sale is tentatively scheduled for fall 2021.
This lease sale represents parcels that cleared environmental review and public comment. The BLM issues both competitive and non-competitive leases for a 10-year period. The leases are a contract to explore and develop any potential geothermal resource. The leases may earn an extension if the lessee establishes production or provides proof of diligent exploration, otherwise they pay annual rentals.
Nevada BLM administers the most active Geothermal Program in the nation with 272 active leases totaling over half a million acres, with twenty operating geothermal power plants with federal interest, for a total generating capability of nearly 650 MW and additional geothermal projects in the exploration, development and construction phases are expected to greatly increase that capacity soon. Geothermal leases are for an initial 10-year period with 50% of the funds disbursed to the state, 25% is disbursed to the respective county, and 25% remaining in the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The BLM manages public lands for many uses, including sustainable energy development. The leased parcels undergo a detailed environmental analysis that includes three opportunities for involvement: scoping, public comment, and protest periods. In addition, each lease, if issued, contains standard stipulations to protect endangered species and cultural resources and ensures that development is safe and environmentally responsible. After parcels are leased, lessees must submit site-specific proposals for additional in-depth analysis before energy development can begin.
The sale results will be posted at www.energynet.com and the BLM Nevada State Office website https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/renewable-energy/geothermal-energy/regional-information/nevada.
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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.