Current through September 30, 2024
Section 3201.11 - What lands are not available for geothermal leasing?BLM will not issue leases for:
(a) Lands where the Secretary has determined that issuing the lease would cause unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands and resources;(b) Lands contained within a unit of the National Park System, or otherwise administered by the National Park Service;(c) Lands within a National Recreation Area;(d) Lands where the Secretary determines after notice and comment that geothermal operations, including exploration, development or utilization of lands, are reasonably likely to result in a significant adverse effect on a significant thermal feature within a unit of the National Park System;(e) Fish hatcheries or wildlife management areas administered by the Secretary;(f) Indian trust or restricted lands within or outside the boundaries of Indian reservations;(g) The Island Park Geothermal Area; and(h) Lands where Section 43 of the Mineral Leasing Act ( 30 U.S.C. 226-3 ) prohibits geothermal leasing, including:(1) Wilderness areas or wilderness study areas administered by BLM or other surface management agencies;(2) Lands designated by Congress as wilderness study areas, except where the statute designating the study area specifically allows leasing to continue; and(3) Lands within areas allocated for wilderness or further planning in Executive Communication 1504, Ninety-Sixth Congress (House Document 96-119), unless such lands are allocated to uses other than wilderness by a land and resource management plan or are released to uses other than wilderness by an Act of Congress.