| Contacts: | Denise Adamic, 719-269-8553 |
BLM releases final Geothermal Leasing Environmental Assessment (10-02-12)
MONTE VISTA, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management’s San Luis Valley Field Office has completed the final environmental assessment for geothermal energy leasing in the San Luis Valley.
The EA identifies public lands with the potential for geothermal development and provides a list of the stipulations to be applied to any future leases. The BLM will make a decision to amend the 1991 BLM San Luis Valley Resource Area Management Plan.
To date, the BLM has not received any lease nominations for public lands in the San Luis Valley.
The SLFVO hosted two open house meetings to hear from the public and share information in March 2012. The public comment period ended April 10, 2012, with the BLM receiving 22 comments, which are addressed in the EA.
The final EA can be viewed online at: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/slvfo/Geothermal_Leasing.html or in hardcopy at the BLM San Luis Valley Field Office, 1803 West Hwy 160, Monte Vista, Colo. 81144.
In 2008, the BLM completed the Geothermal Leasing PEIS, which amended 114 RMPs across the western United States. The PEIS updated BLM’s energy leasing procedures to make lands available for geothermal energy leasing while protecting the land for future generations. Although the San Luis Resource Area was analyzed, the BLM did not include the area in its 2008 decision. In 2010, the BLM began a local analysis to understand the issues and concerns related to geothermal energy leasing in the Valley.
For more information log on to: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/slvfo/Geothermal_Leasing.html or call Andrew Archuleta, Acting Assistant Front Range District Manager, at 719-655-2547 or Paul Tigan, Acting San Luis Valley Field Manager at 719-852-5941.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
1803 West Highway 160 Monte Vista, CO 81144