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SALT LAKE CITY — The Bureau of Land Management proposes to offer 11 geothermal lease sale parcels, totaling approximately 32,527 acres on October 5, 2021. These parcels are located in Millard and Beaver counties on public lands managed by the BLM’s Cedar City and Fillmore Filed Offices. A 30-day public comment period has opened to solicit input on the Determination of NEPA Adequacy.  
 
This geothermal sale supports President Biden’s goal of creating a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, and to permit at least 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands by 2025. The BLM works hard, and in coordination with experts, to expand development of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal where appropriate on public lands. Additionally, the Bureau’s goal is to ensure that its energy portfolio serves the public interest and helps restore balance on America’s public lands for the benefit current and future generations. 
 
“We encourage public involvement early in this review process; it is an integral part of our evaluation of the proposed lease parcels,” said Deputy State Director for Lands and Minerals, Kent Hoffman. “Geothermal leasing supports our renewable energy priorities by providing energy that can be developed with minimal carbon emissions.” 
 
Public Comments 
To ensure that comments apply to the parcels proposed for a lease sale, the BLM encourages the public to submit comments during the official public comment period. The BLM only analyzes comments that are specific to parcels identified in the Determination of NEPA Adequacy. Comments on parcels not identified in the document are outside the scope of the proposed action.   
 
View the environmental documents, lists and maps of the parcels, and attached stipulations on the BLM Land Use Planning and NEPA Register (ePlanning) at https://bit.ly/34eBov6. Public comments on the environmental documents must be submitted electronically via the ePlanning webpage and comments must be received by 4:00 p.m. MST on July 9, 2021.   
 
Background 
Geothermal was the first renewable energy that the BLM approved for production on public lands, with the first geothermal project approved in 1978. Replenished by heat sources deep in the Earth, geothermal energy is a renewable resource that generates electricity with minimal carbon emissions. It is an abundant resource, especially in the West, where the BLM has authority to manage geothermal leasing on approximately 245 million acres of public lands (including 104 million acres of U.S. Forest Service lands). Geothermal energy is used to heat buildings and operate greenhouses and aquaculture operations. 
 
The BLM issues geothermal leases are for a 10-year period. For each parcel, the bid, rental receipts, and subsequent royalties are disbursed such that 50 percent of the funds are disbursed to the respective state, an additional 25 percent is disbursed to the respective county, and 25 percent remains in the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The BLM manages public lands for many uses, including sustainable energy development. 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.