The BLM Colorado State Office received a competitive geothermal lease nomination for 799.20 acres of federal minerals with potential for geothermal resources located in the vicinity of the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. This area is managed by the Royal Gorge Field Office. The surface estate is privately held by over 60 private landowners, the subsurface mineral estate is administered by the BLM. The Mt. Princeton Geothermal Lease parcel is the first to be offered in the state of Colorado since the 1980s.
This lease was scheduled for the September 2009 lease sale and was deferred three times: September 2009 to allow for adequate time for Tribal consultation, November 2009 at the request of the Director of the Colorado Division of Natural Resources (DNR) so the BLM and the DNR could review their respective regulatory requirements; and February 2010 to allow additional time for the BLM to analyze and appropriately address issues that were raised during the geothermal lease sale 45-day lease protest period.
The BLM prepared a new Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) for the parcel listed in the Mt. Princeton Geothermal Lease Sale to address the issues that were outlined in the protest letters.
Click here for the Sale Notice and other information about the November 10, 2010 Competitive Geothermal and Oil & Gas Lease Sale. Public comments on this sale received by 4:00 p.m. on October 26, 2010 will be considered.
