PUBLIC LAW 109–58—AUG. 8, 2005
119 STAT. 667
‘‘(d) EXCLUSION FROM DETERMINATION OF HOLDING OR CONTROL.—Any land that is subject to a unit agreement approved or prescribed by the Secretary under this section shall not be considered in determining holdings or control under section 7. ‘‘(e) POOLING OF CERTAIN LAND.—If separate tracts of land cannot be independently developed and operated to use geothermal resources pursuant to any section of this Act— ‘‘(1) the land, or a portion of the land, may be pooled with other land, whether or not owned by the United States, for purposes of development and operation under a communitization agreement providing for an apportionment of production or royalties among the separate tracts of land comprising the production unit, if the pooling is determined by the Secretary to be in the public interest; and ‘‘(2) operation or production pursuant to the communitization agreement shall be treated as operation or production with respect to each tract of land that is subject to the communitization agreement. ‘‘(f) UNIT AGREEMENT REVIEW.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after the date of approval of any unit agreement and at least every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall— ‘‘(A) review each unit agreement; and ‘‘(B) after notice and opportunity for comment, eliminate from inclusion in the unit agreement any land that the Secretary determines is not reasonably necessary for unit operations under the unit agreement. ‘‘(2) BASIS FOR ELIMINATION.—The elimination shall— ‘‘(A) be based on scientific evidence; and ‘‘(B) occur only if the elimination is determined by the Secretary to be for the purpose of conserving and properly managing the geothermal resource. ‘‘(3) EXTENSION.—Any land eliminated under this subsection shall be eligible for an extension under section 6(g) if the land meets the requirements for the extension. ‘‘(g) DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may, on such conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, approve drilling or development contracts made by one or more lessees of geothermal leases, with one or more persons, associations, or corporations if, in the discretion of the Secretary, the conservation of natural resources or the public convenience or necessity may require or the interests of the United States may be best served by the approval. ‘‘(2) HOLDINGS OR CONTROL.—Each lease operated under an approved drilling or development contract, and interest under the contract, shall be excepted in determining holdings or control under section 7. ‘‘(h) COORDINATION WITH STATE GOVERNMENTS.—The Secretary shall coordinate unitization and pooling activities with appropriate State agencies.’’.
Deadlines.
SEC. 228. ROYALTY ON BYPRODUCTS.
Section 5 of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1004) (as amended by section 223(a)) is further amended in subsection (a) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
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