§ 1125. — Geothermal demonstration plants and projects.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 30USC1125]
TITLE 30--MINERAL LANDS AND MINING
CHAPTER 24--GEOTHERMAL ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION
SUBCHAPTER I--GEOTHERMAL ENERGY COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECT
Sec. 1125. Geothermal demonstration plants and projects
(a) Design and construction
The Chairman, acting through the appropriate Federal agencies and in
cooperation with non-Federal entities, shall initiate a program to
design and construct geothermal demonstration plants. The specific goals
of such program shall include--
(1) the development of economical geothermal resources
production systems and components which meet environmental
standards;
(2) the design of plants to produce electric power and, where
appropriate, the large-scale production and utilization of any
useful by-products;
(3) the involvement of engineers, analysts, technicians, and
managers from industry field and powerplant development, which shall
lead to the early industrial exploitation of advanced geothermal
resources;
(4) the provision for an adequate supply of trained geothermal
engineers and technicians;
(5) the provision of experimental test beds for component
testing an evaluation by laboratories operated by the Federal
Government, industry, or institutions of higher education;
(6) the construction and operation of pilot plants; and
(7) the construction and operation of demonstration plants.
(b) Establishment of demonstration projects
In carrying out his responsibilities under this section, the
Chairman, acting through the appropriate Federal agencies, and in
cooperation with non-Federal entities, may provide for the establishment
of one or more demonstration projects utilizing each geothermal resource
base involved, which shall include, as appropriate, all of the
exploration, siting, drilling, pilot plant construction and operation,
demonstration plant construction and operation, and other facilities and
activities which may be necessary for the generation of electric energy
and the utilization of geothermal resource byproducts.
(c) Agreements for the cooperative development of facilities for
demonstration
The Chairman, acting through the appropriate Federal agencies, is
authorized to investigate and enter into agreements for the cooperative
development of facilities to demonstrate the production of energy from
geothermal resources. The responsible Federal agency may consider--
(1) cooperative agreements with utilities and non-Federal
governmental entities for construction of facilities to produce
energy for commercial disposition; and
(2) cooperative agreements with other Federal agencies for the
construction and operation of facilities to produce energy for
direct Federal consumption.
(d) Construction of demonstration projects without entering into
agreements
The responsible Federal agency is authorized to investigate the
feasibility of, construct, and operate, demonstration projects without
entering into cooperative agreements with respect to such projects, if
the Chairman finds that--
(1) the nature of the resource, the geographical location, the
scale and engineering design of the facilities, the techniques of
production, or any other significant factor of the proposal offers
opportunities to make important contributions to the general
knowledge of geothermal resources, the techniques of its
development, or public confidence in the technology; and
(2) there is no opportunity for cooperative agreements with any
utility or non-Federal governmental entity willing and able to
cooperate in the demonstration project under subsection (c)(1) of
this section, and there is no opportunity for cooperative agreements
with other Federal agencies under subsection (c)(2) of this section.
(e) Factors considered for entry into agreements
Before favorably considering proposals under subsection (c) of this
section, the responsible Federal agency must find that--
(1) the nature of the resource, the geographical location, the
scale and engineering design of the facilities, the techniques of
production, or any other significant factor of the proposal offers
opportunities to make important contributions to the general
knowledge of geothermal resources, the techniques of its
development, or public confidence in the technology;
(2) the development of the practical benefits as set forth in
paragraph (1) of this subsection are unlikely to be accomplished
without such cooperative development; and
(3) where non-Federal participants are involved, the proposal is
not eligible for adequate Federal assistance under the loan guaranty
provisions of subchapter II of this chapter or such assistance would
not be adequate to satisfy the goals and requirements of the
demonstration program under this section.
(f) Limits on project costs
If the estimate of the Federal investment with respect to
construction and operation costs of any demonstration project proposed
to be established under this section exceeds $10,000,000, no amount may
be appropriated for such project except as specifically authorized by
legislation hereafter enacted by the Congress.
(g) Disposal of Federal property interests and resource byproducts
(1) At the conclusion of the program under this section or as soon
thereafter as may be practicable, the responsible Federal agencies
shall, by sale, lease, or otherwise, dispose of all Federal property
interests which they have acquired pursuant to this section (including
mineral rights) in accordance with existing law and the terms of the
cooperative agreements involved.
(2) The agency involved shall, under appropriate agreements or other
arrangements, provide for the disposition of geothermal resource
byproducts of the project administered by such agency.
(Pub. L. 93-410, title I, Sec. 105, Sept. 3, 1974, 88 Stat. 1084; Pub.
L. 95-238, title V, Sec. 504, Feb. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 86.)
Amendments
1978--Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 95-238 inserted provisions relating to
goals and requirements of the demonstration program.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 1126, 1162 of this title.
