Bill > S822

This bill, the Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2015, amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to allow the Department of the Interior to grant noncompetitive leases for geothermal development on up to 640 acres of federal land. This can occur if the land is available and not already leased or nominated, the applicant already has the legal right to develop geothermal resources on adjacent private or state land, and they can provide sufficient data from a qualified geothermal professional showing a valid discovery of geothermal resources on their adjacent land and that the thermal feature extends into the federal land. A "valid discovery" is defined as finding geothermal resources that meet "industry standards," which are assessed by a "qualified geothermal professional" with at least five years of experience. The lease will be awarded at "fair market value per acre," which is defined as a minimum amount based on previous lease sales or $50 per acre, whichever is greater. The Department of the Interior must publish notice of lease requests, allow for public comment on the proposed fair market value, and provide an opportunity to appeal the final determination of that value. Lessees will be required to make annual rental payments equivalent to those for competitively leased lands.