The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has updated its procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to include a new categorical exclusion (CX) for certain geothermal resource confirmation activities. This exclusion applies to activities like drilling to confirm a geothermal resource, provided they do not involve resource extraction and meet specific conditions, such as limiting surface disturbance to 20 acres and adhering to reclamation guidelines. This update aims to streamline approval processes while still protecting environmental resources, but it does not apply to geothermal power plant operations, which will undergo further review. Public feedback was considered, and changes were made to clarify the scope and requirements of the CX.
Simple Explanation
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) now has a rule that lets them quickly approve tests for finding heat under the ground like in a hot spring, as long as they follow certain rules to not dig too much and fix the land after.