BLM Seeks Public Input for Geothermal Exploration Near BRC

[some seeing eye]

We need clean energy and geothermal energy is clean. We need Fly Hot Springs too. One would imagine that geothermal energy in the form of electricity turbines and space heating is being evaluated for a year around Fly Ranch.

The BLM's mission is to make use of the land. They lease it out to recreation-BRC, grazing, and mining. There is already a proposed geothermal development by Empire. This is a new one. Since it falls under NEPA, all the anti-BRC NEPA can blow back. Or the developer could be required to do road, Internet, or other infrastructure of benefit to us.


BRFO Initiation of NEPA Analysis - Gerlach Geothermal Exploration Project Environmental Analysis

From: WDO_Gerlach_Geothermal, BLM_NV <[email protected]> Fri, Dec 10, 2021 at 12:48 PM
To: "WDO_Gerlach_Geothermal, BLM_NV" <[email protected]>
Cc: "O'Hanlon, Heather M" <[email protected]>

Hello Interested Parties,

The Black Rock Field Office (BRFO) is soliciting public scoping comments on an Operations Plan proposed by Ormat Nevada Inc., 26 LLC., (Ormat). The BRFO will use the feedback to develop an environmental assessment. The 30-day comment period will end January 10, 2022.

The field office is analyzing the environmental effects of the proposal to construct, operate, and maintain the Gerlach Geothermal Exploration Project in the Gerlach Geothermal Lease Unit located in Washoe County, less than one-mile northwest of Gerlach on the western edge of the Black Rock Playa. Ormat has proposed further exploration of the Gerlach geothermal resource based on results of previous geothermal exploration including the drilling and testing of geothermal wells and access road construction. Principal access to the proposed project would be from NV-447 and County Road 34.

Comments can be submitted to [email protected]. Comments can also be mailed to:

Attn: Gerlach Geothermal Exploration Project
C/O BLM Winnemucca District
5100 East Winnemucca Blvd.
Winnemucca, NV 89445

Comments may also be submitted through the project ePlanning site at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ ... 016744/510.

The project documents can also be viewed at this site.

More information on how to craft comments can be found on page 20 of the Citizen’s Guide to NEPA, https://ceq.doe.gov/docs/get-involved/c ... a-2021.pdf
A Citizen's Guide to NEPA
4 Purpose of the Guide CEQ developed this guide to help citizens and organizations effectively participate in Federal agencies’ environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which
ceq.doe.gov

Media Contact: Heather O’Hanlon 775-623-1567, [email protected]

[Canoe]

As in Geothermal where the ground water is radioactive and needs specific treatments before it is safe?

Hmmmm

[some seeing eye]

In addition to all the things the BMORG is juggling, they are working on this https://journal.burningman.org/2021/12/ ... -comments/.

Some of the founding board lives in Gerlach. There is also a relationship between the Friends of Black Rock High Rock and Burning Man/Fly Ranch. It will affect every burner visiting the Labor Day regional campout, many more playa recreational participants, and it affects the tribes.

Something like this at the 447-34 Y.

[some seeing eye]

Well kids, your Sunday mission is:

1 Read https://journal.burningman.org/2022/01/ ... al-part-2/
2 (Optional) read https://o7fe62guj6g73vlj30xpogpm-wpengi ... 22-1-1.pdf (BORG detailed comments to the BLM)
3 Write a comment to the BLM. How is explained in 1.

What is egregious, but clever, is to drill every "exploratory well" to actually build the full scale plant. That is why a full EIS should be required by burners. Otherwise it's "well our drilling is done so we don't need an EIS."

[goathead]

Full Disclosure
I worked for Ormat starting back in 1990, Construction Soda Lake 2. Operations Soda Lake, Stillwater, and Empire.
Power plants were bought and sold, Format Bought Empire back and I retired from Ormat 2019. From 1998 to 2019 worked at Empire plant. Lived out of Empire Farms, Gerlach. Live in Fallon about 1 mile south of the Soda Lake plant.

Personally I think this would be a good project for Gerlach. Ormat is a proven company who has built projects world wide. I don't see any negative drawbacks to this.

I haven't heard if it is water cooled condensors or air, educated guess would be air. in which case the plant would be more like this.
[img]https://www.nvenergy.com/publish/conten ... 4.jpg/[img]

Some of the founding board lives in Gerlach. There is also a relationship between the Friends of Black Rock High Rock and Burning Man/Fly Ranch. It will affect every burner visiting the Labor Day regional campout, many more playa recreational participants, and it affects the tribes.

Wondering how this would effect any of these groups? Hopefully it would provide a few well paying year around jobs in Gerlach.