BLM to launch lease sale of Nevada geothermal project on October 20

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the US Department of the Interior is set to hold 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.

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 US$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.

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.