Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA

Young, Katherine; Levine, Aaron

doi:10.15121/1678707

Title: Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA

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Abstract

This study focuses primarily on the Categorial Exclusions (CX) process and its applicability to geothermal exploration. In this paper, we: - Provide generalized background information on CXs, including previous NEPA reports addressing CXs, the process for developing CXs, and the role of extraordinary circumstances; - Examine the history of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) geothermal CXs; - Compare current CXs for oil, gas, and geothermal energy; - Describe bills proposing new statutory CXs; - Examine the possibility of standardizing geothermal CXs across federal agencies; and - Present analysis from the Geothermal NEPA Database and other sources on the potential for new geothermal exploration CXs. As part of this study, we reviewed Environmental Assessments (EAs) conducted in response to 20 geothermal exploration drilling permit applications (Geothermal Drilling Permits or Notices of Intents) since the year 2001, the majority of which are from the last 5 years. All 20 EAs reviewed for this study resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Authors:

;

Publication Date:: 2014-09-30

Other Number(s):: 1260

DOE Contract Number:: FY14 AOP 4.2.0.1

Research Org.:: USDOE Geothermal Data Repository (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Program (EE-4G)

Collaborations:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Subject:: 15 Geothermal Energy

Keywords:: geothermal; energy; regulatory; NEPA; categorical exclusion; FONSI; permit; permitting; EA; environmental; assessment; BLM; bureau of land management; Finding of No Significant Impact; National Environmental Policy Act; administrative; statutory

Geolocation:: 75.0714,-53.8316|13.518,-53.8316|13.518,-167.7267|75.0714,-167.7267|75.0714,-53.8316

OSTI Identifier:: 1678707

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.15121/1678707

Project Location:

Citation Formats


                    Young, Katherine, and Levine, Aaron. Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA.  United States: N. p., 2014. 
        Web.  doi:10.15121/1678707.

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                    Young, Katherine, & Levine, Aaron. Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA.  United States.  doi:https://doi.org/10.15121/1678707

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                    Young, Katherine, and Levine, Aaron. 2014.  
"Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA".  United States.  doi:https://doi.org/10.15121/1678707.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1678707. Pub date:Tue Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2014

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@article{osti_1678707,

  title        = {Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA},

  author       = {Young, Katherine and Levine, Aaron},

  abstractNote = {This study focuses primarily on the Categorial Exclusions (CX) process and its applicability to geothermal exploration. In this paper, we: - Provide generalized background information on CXs, including previous NEPA reports addressing CXs, the process for developing CXs, and the role of extraordinary circumstances; - Examine the history of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) geothermal CXs; - Compare current CXs for oil, gas, and geothermal energy; - Describe bills proposing new statutory CXs; - Examine the possibility of standardizing geothermal CXs across federal agencies; and - Present analysis from the Geothermal NEPA Database and other sources on the potential for new geothermal exploration CXs. As part of this study, we reviewed Environmental Assessments (EAs) conducted in response to 20 geothermal exploration drilling permit applications (Geothermal Drilling Permits or Notices of Intents) since the year 2001, the majority of which are from the last 5 years. All 20 EAs reviewed for this study resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).},

  doi          = {10.15121/1678707},

  journal      = {},

  number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2014},

  month        = {9}

}

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.15121/1678707

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