News Release Archive

Reclamation Announces Decision on Patua Geothermal Project Phase II

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, MP Region Public Affairs Officer, 916-978-5100, plucero@usbr.gov

For Release: June 14, 2012

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Bureau of Reclamation has signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the impacts of various projects on Reclamation-managed lands as part of the Patua Geothermal Project Phase II.

Gradient Resources Inc., (GRI) has obtained the rights to federal geothermal leases issued by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), for portions of the Patua Geothermal Project Phase II. The lease areas are located in Churchill and Lyon Counties, Nev. BLM manages the subsurface geothermal resources underlying the federal leases in the project area, and Reclamation’s Lahontan Basin Area Office is the surface management agency. BLM oversees approval of the geothermal facilities on Reclamation-managed lands in consultation with Reclamation.

GRI is proposing to design, construct and operate geothermal well pads and wells, geothermal fluid pipelines, transmission lines and associated access roads. These facilities would be located on a combination of Reclamation-managed lands, BLM lands and private lands. A power-generating facility would be located on private lands. Reclamation will be reviewing and approving engineering designs for under-crossings of the Truckee Canal as well as crossings of two lateral canals and the Hazen Drain.

The EA for the project was jointly prepared by Reclamation and BLM’s Carson City District Office, pursuant to the national Reclamation/BLM Interagency Agreement, December 1982.

The EA and BLM’s FONSI can be viewed at https://www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/projectSummary.do?methodName=renderDefaultProjectSummary&projectId=17952.

Reclamation’s FONSI can be viewed at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=9404. If you have problems accessing Reclamation’s FONSI online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

For additional information, please contact Andrea Minor at 775-884-8366 or aminor@usbr.gov.

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Relevant Link:

EA and BLM’s FONSI

Reclamation’s FONSI