United States of America vs Union Oil Company of California. U. S. District Court, N. D. California Civ. No. 72-1866 GBH. [Ownership rights of geothermal steam and resources for public land leases; Stock Raising Homestead Act]

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1972 · Fed. Suppl.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5322239

The United States filed suit seeking a declaration of its ownership rights in the geothermal steam and associated geothermal resources being produced by certain defendants under leases from other defendants. The United States also sought injunctive relief and damages. On a defense motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted, and on a countermotion of the United States for summary judgment, the District Court, George B. Harris, Senior Judge, held that (1) what passed under a Stock Raising Homestead Act patent was fee title, not just the surface estate with a reservation of the subsurface, and (2) the Act's reservation of ''coal and other minerals'' to the United States did not include a reservation of geothermal steam and associated geothermal resources, since they are not ''minerals'' within the meaning of the reservation of the Act and the patents granted thereunder.

• OSTI ID: 5322239
• Journal Information: Fed. Suppl.; (United States), Journal Name: Fed. Suppl.; (United States) Vol. 369
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150400* -- Geothermal Energy-- Legislation & Regulations
150500 -- Geothermal Energy-- Economics
Industrial
& Business Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Geothermal-- (-1989)
CALIFORNIA
CASE LAW
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
LAND LEASING
LAWS
LEASING
LEGAL ASPECTS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OWNERSHIP
PUBLIC LANDS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCES
USA