Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA

This study focuses primarily on the Categorial Exclusions (CX) process and its applicability to geothermal exploration. In this paper, we: - Provide generalized background information on CXs, including previous NEPA reports addressing CXs, the process for developing CXs, and the role of extraordinary circumstances; - Examine the history of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) geothermal CXs; - Compare current CXs for oil, gas, and geothermal energy; - Describe bills proposing new statutory CXs; - Examine the possibility of standardizing geothermal CXs across federal agencies; and - Present analysis from the Geothermal NEPA Database and other sources on the potential for new geothermal exploration CXs.

As part of this study, we reviewed Environmental Assessments (EAs) conducted in response to 20 geothermal exploration drilling permit applications (Geothermal Drilling Permits or Notices of Intents) since the year 2001, the majority of which are from the last 5 years. All 20 EAs reviewed for this study resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Data and Resources

Field Value
DOI 10.15121/1678707
accessLevel public
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identifier https://data.openei.org/submissions/3886
issued 2014-09-30T06:00:00Z
landingPage https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1260
license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
modified 2022-02-09T16:35:30Z
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programCode {019:006}
projectLead Tim Reinhardt
projectNumber FY14 AOP 4.2.0.1
projectTitle Geothermal Regulatory Roadmap
publisher National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • administrative
  • amerigeo
  • amerigeoss
  • assessment
  • blm
  • bureau-of-land-management
  • categorical-exclusion
  • ckan
  • ea
  • energy
  • environmental
  • finding-of-no-significant-impact
  • fonsi
  • geo
  • geoss
  • geothermal
  • national
  • national-environmental-policy-act
  • nepa
  • north-america
  • permit
  • permitting
  • regulatory
  • statutory
  • united-states
isopen True
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maintainer Katherine Young
maintainer_email katherine.young@nrel.gov
metadata_created 2025-11-19T20:40:31.855397
metadata_modified 2025-11-19T20:40:31.855404
notes This study focuses primarily on the Categorial Exclusions (CX) process and its applicability to geothermal exploration. In this paper, we: - Provide generalized background information on CXs, including previous NEPA reports addressing CXs, the process for developing CXs, and the role of extraordinary circumstances; - Examine the history of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) geothermal CXs; - Compare current CXs for oil, gas, and geothermal energy; - Describe bills proposing new statutory CXs; - Examine the possibility of standardizing geothermal CXs across federal agencies; and - Present analysis from the Geothermal NEPA Database and other sources on the potential for new geothermal exploration CXs. As part of this study, we reviewed Environmental Assessments (EAs) conducted in response to 20 geothermal exploration drilling permit applications (Geothermal Drilling Permits or Notices of Intents) since the year 2001, the majority of which are from the last 5 years. All 20 EAs reviewed for this study resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
num_resources 4
num_tags 25
title Geothermal Development and the Use of Categorical Exclusions Under NEPA