§1001 — Title 30 Mineral Lands and Mining | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in this chapter. Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. Geothermal lease means a lease issued under this chapter. Geothermal resources include steam, hot water, and hot brines that occur naturally or that form after fluids are put into geothermal formations, the heat or other energy in those formations, and any byproducts from them. Byproduct means a mineral (not oil, hydrocarbon gas, or helium) found with geothermal steam that is worth less than 75% of the steam’s value or is not worth extracting by itself because of small amounts, poor quality, or technical problems. Known geothermal resources area means a place that, in the Secretary’s judgment, has geology or other signs that would lead experienced people to believe extracting geothermal steam or related resources is likely enough to justify spending money. Significant thermal features in National Parks include the thermal areas listed in section 1026(a)(1) and named in the Federal Register notice of Aug. 3, 1987 (Vol. 52, No. 148, p. 28790); Crater Lake National Park; thermal areas in Big Bend National Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area noted in the Feb. 13, 1987 Federal Register (Vol. 52, No. 30, p. 4700); and any units added under section 1026(a)(2). Direct use means using geothermal resources for energy needs — like commercial, residential, agricultural, or public facility uses — but not for producing electricity for sale.

Title 30, §1001

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this chapter, the term—

(a)“Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior;

(b)“geothermal lease” means a lease issued under authority of this chapter;

(c)“geothermal resources” means (i) all products of geothermal processes, embracing indigenous steam, hot water and hot brines; (ii) steam and other gases, hot water and hot brines resulting from water, gas, or other fluids artificially introduced into geothermal formations; (iii) heat or other associated energy found in geothermal formations; and (iv) any byproduct derived from them;

(d)“byproduct” means any mineral or minerals (exclusive of oil, hydrocarbon gas, and helium) which are found in solution or in association with geothermal steam and which have a value of less than 75 per centum of the value of the geothermal steam or are not, because of quantity, quality, or technical difficulties in extraction and production, of sufficient value to warrant extraction and production by themselves;

(e)“known geothermal resources area” means an area in which the geology, nearby discoveries, competitive interests, or other indicia would, in the opinion of the Secretary, engender a belief in men who are experienced in the subject matter that the prospects for extraction of geothermal steam or associated geothermal resources are good enough to warrant expenditures of money for that purpose.

(f)“Significant 11 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized. thermal features within units of the National Park System” shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1)Thermal features within units of the National Park System listed in section 1 1026(a)(1) of this title and designated as significant in the Federal Register notice of August 3, 1987 (Vol. 52, No. 148 Fed. Reg. 28790).

(2)Crater Lake National Park.

(3)Thermal features within Big Bend National Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area proposed as significant in the Federal Register notice of February 13, 1987 (Vol. 52, No. 30 Fed. Reg. 4700).

(4)Thermal features within units of the National Park System added to the significant thermal features list pursuant to section 1026(a)(2) of this title.

(g)“direct use” means utilization of geothermal resources for commercial, residential, agricultural, public facilities, or other energy needs other than the commercial production of electricity; and 22 So in original. Probably should end with a period instead of “; and”.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2005—Pub. L. 109–58, § 236(5), inserted section catchline. Par. (c). Pub. L. 109–58, § 236(1), substituted “geothermal resources” for “geothermal steam and associated geothermal resources”. Par. (g). Pub. L. 109–58, § 236(2), added par. (g). 1988—Par. (f). Pub. L. 100–443 added par. (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

of 2005 Amendment Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 221, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 660, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 221–237) of title II of Pub. L. 109–58, enacting part B (§ 15871 et seq.) of subchapter II of chapter 149 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, amending this section and section 530 and 1002 to 1027 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under section 1004 of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under this section] may be cited as the ‘John Rishel Geothermal Steam Act

Amendments

of 2005’.”

Short Title

of 1988 Amendment Pub. L. 100–443, § 1, Sept. 22, 1988, 102 Stat. 1766, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 1026 and 1027 of this title, amending this section and section 191, 226–3, 1005, 1017, and 1019 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 1005 and 1026 of this title] may be known as the ‘Geothermal Steam Act

Amendments

of 1988’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 91–581, § 1, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1566, as amended by Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 236(4), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 671, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter and amending section 530 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Geothermal Steam Act of 1970’.”

§1001 Definitions

Summary

Title 30, §1001

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Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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Amendments

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