Navy discusses geothermal project By ERIC GALVAN, Staff Writer
Thursday, May 29, 2008 11:32 AM PDT
The United States Navy is in the opening stages of exploring the possibility of constructing a geothermal plant in the Superstition Mountain area.
And should it be built, it would have little, if any, impact on off-highway vehicle use.
Representatives from the Navy's Geothermal Program Office held a scoping meeting Wednesday to discuss the project and the programmatic environmental impact statement.
"Based on what we know, we'd have a single plant that would produce 12 to 35 megawatts," said U.S. Navy Geothermal Program Office geologist Steve Bjornstad.
In 2007, President Bush signed an executive order with one of the goals asking that at least 50 percent of current renewable energy purchases come from new renewable sources.
Regionally, Bjornstad said, the Navy is looking at similar projects in the Chocolate Mountain area, 29 Palms and possibly the Yuma area in the future.
The project area the Navy will be studying before moving forward with a project in the Superstition area covers 3,110 acres of Navy land in the Superstition area that is utilized by Naval Air Facility El Centro. The study will also cover 2,830 acres of adjacent Bureau of Land Management land.
The study will determine whether the Navy wants to move forward with a geothermal project. The Navy could decide to move forward with the project within the project area, develop the project on a reduced development area to avoid sensitive resources or take no action.
Should the Navy decide to move forward with the project following the PEIS, it would take nearly four years for the geothermal plant to be fully operational.
Bjornstad said the Navy recognizes the need for incorporating all renewable energy, but has targeted geothermal energy in this region.
Sean Hagerty, geologist/geothermal program lead for BLM's Division of Energy and Minerals said it is possible that a proposed geothermal plant by San Luis Obispo-based Layman Energy Associates on BLM land could be built alongside a potential Navy plant.
However, Hagerty said if the Navy decides to move forward with its project and BLM decides to OK the Layman project, Layman would be required to join with the Navy in a "unitization" project.
Hagerty also said the area in which the Navy is studying is not currently used for off-highway vehicle usage and wouldn't affect recreationalists.
"I know it's a very popular place and we're trying to tread lightly," Hagerty said. "Looking at it, it shouldn't impact OHV use."
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