The Western Governors’ Association has a whole series called “The Heat Beneath Our Feet” about geothermal. At 28:14 of this video, Lorenzo Trimble of the BLM talks about the BLM process.
Apparently there is a Geothermal PEIS that amended 114 (!) land use plans to incorporate geothermal leases. Improved leasing on BLM and FS, and is not stale. In this presentation, the FS is one Surface Management Agency.
Personally I would prefer that people not say that using a CE (or CX in BLM-ese) is “not NEPA” as that’s not what the regs say…
Interestingly if you have an oil and gas lease, you can non-competitively apply for a geothermal lease.
Thank you, Ms. Friedman. Colorado could even tap orphaned oil and gas wells to supply hot water for electricity generation according to KUNC especially now that the state is falling behind on its own self-imposed emissions-reducing mandates so why isn’t the site of the San Juan Generating Station not being considered for a geothermal lease since the transmission lines are already there?
I don’t know. Maybe you could ask around and report back?
People say Categorical Exclusions are “NOT NEPA” because CEs do not follow all the steps that NEPA calls for to ensure informed decision-making as intended by NEPA:
— No alternatives,
— No real effects analysis,
— Much reduced external review and comment,
— etc.
And, to top it off, the agencies are moving fast on a slippery slope toward using more and more CEs for larger and more impactful decisions.
Please people, keep saying “CEs are NOT NEPA!”