BLM to hold geothermal lease sale in Nevada on October 2024

Ormat’s Desert Peak 2 geothermal power plant, Nevada (source: Ormat Technologies)

The Bureau of Land Management is currently at the process of seeking public comments on four environmental assessments associated with a proposed state-wide geothermal lease sale in Nevada on the 8th of October 2024. The geothermal lease sale will cover 70 parcels totaling more than 234,000 acres across Nevada.

Public comments must be submitted in writing by the 18th of July 2024. The parcels are distributed across four BLM district offices:

Links to relevant documents, maps, attached stipulations, and comment portals can be found at the official announcement. Some links though are outdated and will likely be updated by BLM in the coming days.

BLM-issued geothermal leases are for a 10-year period. For each parcel, 50 percent of the bid, rental receipts, and subsequent royalties are disbursed to the respective state, an additional 25 percent is disbursed to the respective county, and 25 percent remains in the U.S. Treasury. Each lease contains standard stipulations to protect endangered species and cultural resources and ensure that development is safe and environmentally responsible. After parcels are leased, lessees must submit site-specific proposals for an additional in-depth analysis before drilling can occur.

The last competitive geothermal lease sale held by BLM in Nevada received a total amount of $1,025,396 in bids for 33 parcels.

Source: Bureau of Land Management