The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released a scoping letter for a proposed geothermal lease sale of 50,126 acres in Idaho managed by the BLM. This lease sale will affect areas that are popular for outdoor recreation near Grandview, ID. The proposal outlines potential geothermal energy exploration and development, detailing environmental considerations, stakeholder input, and proposed leasing stipulations. As an organization dedicated to defending public access to recreational opportunities on public lands, we want to ensure that recreational access remains a priority, no matter the outcome of this proposal.
While geothermal development can provide substantial benefits, including energy and economic growth, it often involves land use changes that may restrict or alter access for recreational activities such as off-road vehicle use, camping, hiking, and hunting. Some of the areas identified in this proposal are popular with outdoor enthusiasts. For this reason, recreation needs to be heavily considered by the BLM when making a decision and developing the environmental assessment.
There are currently 59 producing geothermal leases on BLM land nationwide out of 818 total leases. There is an extensive process to develop a geothermal lease on BLM land, and opening an area for leasing is the first step. According to the BLM there are several additional steps that will follow this initial lease offering step:
The first step in developing geothermal resources on Federal lands is to issue a lease for geothermal resources in a defined area. Leasing Federal geothermal resources confers on the lessee a right to future exploration and development of geothermal resources within the lease area. However, it does not confer the right to conduct any ground-disturbing activities to explore for or develop geothermal resources. A Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement relating to the authorization of geothermal leasing was completed in 2008.
The four stages of geothermal resource development within a lease are exploration, resource drilling, production, and reclamation. Each stage under the lease requires separate authorizations, as well as compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, when ground-disturbing activities are proposed.
Because this area is popular for various recreation users, we will monitor these leases through each step of the approval process. It is also important to consider that geothermal leasing is highly speculative and most geothermal leases do not result in geothermal production.
The picture below is of The Geysers power production complex in California, which is the largest geothermal production facility in the country:
As you can see, from the picture, the geothermal production increased access into the area at the same time it also caused the impacts of industrialization to at least hundreds of acres. If this level of geothermal potential existed in the Owyhees with favorable economics, it would have already been developed by now. While the risk of widespread displacement of recreation access is low from this lease sale, we still need to be vigilant and engaged.
We urge the BLM to:
- Preserve Recreation Access: Ensure that any geothermal leasing or development plans include stipulations to protect existing recreational uses in the affected areas.
- Engage Recreation Stakeholders: Proactively involve local recreation groups, outdoor enthusiasts, and community representatives in the planning process.
- Maintain Transparency: Clearly outline how geothermal activities will coexist with recreational use and provide periodic updates to stakeholders.
- Mitigate Impacts: Where necessary, create mitigation plans to offset any potential restrictions or changes to recreational opportunities. If recreation could be effected, the BLM should be opening new areas to recreational opportunities. This can be done by requiring geothermal leaseholders to cover the cost of developing new recreation opportunities.
How You Can Help
Public input is crucial at this stage. The scoping period is an opportunity for recreational users to voice their concerns and priorities. We encourage you to use the tool below to submit a comment before January 15 to the BLM, so that the agency and potential leaseholders are aware of the issues they will need to address:
Geothermal energy development can coexist with recreational use, but it requires thoughtful planning and active involvement from all stakeholders. BlueRibbon Coalition is committed to advocating for solutions that protect public access to our lands while supporting responsible energy development that doesn’t interfere with multiple use of public lands. Together, we can ensure that these lands continue to offer diverse opportunities for exploration and enjoyment.
