All Entries in the "Policy & Policymakers" Category
Colorado mulls water vs mineral rights
In Colorado, drilling for geothermal resources has come down to whether the resource is a mineral right or a water right. In July, Lee Robinson of Flint Eagle LLC asked the town of Gypsum for support in drill an exploratory well below the Eagle County Regional Airport and into the Rio Grande Rift. Legal issues [...]
Geothermal project to be put to public vote
In Canada, a plebiscite will be held in Yellowknife that will ask voters to approve borrowing up to $49 million for the Con Mine geothermal district heating system project. If implemented, the project would have 39 downtown buildings drawing heat from the closed Con Mine, along with a wood-pellet boiler system. The mine, located just [...]
EESI contracts CxGBS for ground source pilot project
In Tennessee, CxGBS said they have been awarded a contract with the Energy Efficient Schools Initiative (EESI) to provide technical assistance on ground source projects in five Tennessee schools. CxGBS will assist EESI in coordinating the design, installation, and performance monitoring of the hybrid ground-source heat pump (Hy-GSHP) projects in accordance with the Commissioning Plan [...]
Proposed Nevada transmission line poses little risk
In Nevada, the Bureau of Land Management has said that a 236-mile transmission line proposed to connect Las Vegas to northeastern Nevada will not have significant environmental consequences. The final environmental impact statement is posted at the link provided. BLM finds that any possible impact to wildlife, vegetation, water resources and even geology and paleontology [...]
Galwell to chair renewable energy export initiative committee
In Washington, DC, the Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke released the Administration’s plan for a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE&EE) Export Initiative, and addressed the first meeting of his newly created Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee. Karl Gawell, Geothermal Energy Association Executive Director, was elected Chair of the committee. Secretary Locke urged [...]
Senate bill restores county geothermal royalties
In Washington, the U.S. Senate joined the House of Representatives in approving the restoration of geothermal rent money and royalties to 31 counties in six states. It came as part of a short-term continuing resolution to fund the government through March 4, 2011. Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV, issued a statement, saying ,”I’m pleased that geothermal [...]
Oregon exploring streamlined geothermal permits
In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality is reportedly in the process of restructuring its licensing procedures to allow geothermal exploration wells. To get around an existing exploration stalemate involving water injection, DEQ is suggesting a 10 year general permit to allow companies to inject water in wells during the tests and dispose of the [...]
New tax deal includes provisions for renewable energy
In Washington, DC, Karl Gawell, Executive Director of the Geothermal Energy Association issued a statement on the passage of the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010. In he says “GEA applauds Congress’ decision to extend the Section 1603 tax credit reimbursement program in the recently passed tax legislation. This extension is a substantial benefit [...]
House restores county royalties
In Washington, D.C., Congressman Dean Heller (R-NV) worked with House appropriators to ensure revenues will continue to be distributed to local governments. The Office of Management and Budget determined that under the Continuing Resolution, the current government funding measure, counties are ineligible for geothermal revenue sharing payments for this fiscal year. In November, the Congressman [...]
Nevada reps still struggling to restore county royalties
In Nevada, both Democrat Sen. Harry Reid and Republican Rep. Dean Heller have issued statements asking yet again that geothermal lease revenues be restored to Nevada counties. According to the Office of Management and Budget, under current funding legislation, local counties can no longer receive their share of geothermal royalties that were established under the [...]
