News Release

For Release: November 30, 2005
Contact: JoEllen Keil (760) 873-2400

Construction to Begin on Basalt Canyon Geothermal Pipeline Project

Mammoth Pacific, L.P. (MPLP) will begin construction of the Basalt Canyon geothermal pipeline on or after December 5, 2005.

The pipeline will be constructed on forest system lands located north of State Route 203 near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The BLM and the U. S. Forest Service prepared an environmental assessment and issued a decision of record and finding of no significant Impact, approving the project on October 14, 2005. The purpose of this project is to develop and produce up to a maximum of 4,000 gallons per minute of geothermal fluid from two previously approved geothermal wells, and deliver this geothermal fluid through a geothermal pipeline to the existing MPLP power plants located in Mono County, California. This project helps meet the goals of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to increase development of domestic renewable energy resources.

The 16-inch diameter pipeline will be placed underground to cross existing roads and on low piers to cross the surface. The top of the new pipeline would average less than 3-feet above the ground surface when completed. Construction is anticipated to take two to three months, contingent upon weather conditions. Mitigations are in place to protect wildlife, botanical, soil, and visual resources and the Forest Service will monitor all construction activities for the duration of this project.

For more information on this activity please contact Lynn Oliver at (760) 873-2424, or Cheryl Seath at (760) 872-5024 for additional information.

-30-

U.S. Forest Service Inyo National Forest
Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office
351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200
Bishop, CA 93514