Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 84 Part 2.djvu/241

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[84 STAT. 1571]
PUBLIC LAW 91-000—MMMM. DD, 1970
[84 STAT. 1571]

84 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 91-581-DEC. 24, 1970

resources, if he determines that this is necessary to promote development or that the lease cannot be successfully operated under the lease terms. SEC. 14. Subject to the other provisions of this Act, a lessee shall be entitled to use so much of the surface of the land covered by his geothermal lease as may be found by the Secretary to be necessary for the production, utilization, and conservation of geothermal resources. SEC. 15. (a) Geothermal leases for lands withdrawn or acquired in aid of functions of the Department of the Interior may be issued only under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe to insure adequate utilization of the lands for the purposes for which they were withdrawn or acquired. (b) Geothermal leases for lands withdrawn or acquired in aid of functions of the Department of Agriculture may be issued only with the consent of, and subject to such terms and conditions as msij be prescribed by, the head of that Department to insure adequate utilization of the lands for the purposes for which they were withdrawn or acquired. Geothermal leases for lands to which section 24 of the Federal Power Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 818), is applicable, may be issued only with the consent of, and subject to, such terms and conditions as the Federal Power Commission may prescribe to insure adequate utilization of such lands for power and related purposes. (c) Geothermal leases under this Act shall not be issued for lands administered in accordance with (1) the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), as amended or supplemented, (2) for lands within a national recreation area, (3) for lands in a fish hatchery administered by the Secretary, wildlife refuge, wildlife range, game range, wildlife management area, waterfowl production area, or for lands acquired or reserved for the protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, (4) for tribally or individually owned Indian trust or restricted lands, within or without the boundaries of Indian reservations. SEC. 16. Leases under this Act may be issued only to citizens of the United States, associations of such citizens, corporations organized under the laws of the United States or of any State or the District of Columbia, or governmental units, including, without limitation, municipalities. SEC. 17. Administration of this Act shall be under the principles of multiple use of lands and resources, and geothermal leases shall, insofar as feasible, allow for coexistence of other leases of the same lands for deposits of minerals under the laws applicable to them, for the location and production of claims under the mining laws, and for other uses of the areas covered by them. Operations under such other leases or for such other uses, however, shall not unreasonably interfere with or endanger operations under any lease issued pursuant to this Act, nor shall operations under leases so issued unreasonably interfere with or endanger operations under any lease, license, claim, or permit issued pursuant to the provisions of any other Act. SEC. 18. For the purpose of properly conserving the natural resources of any geothermal pool, field, or like area, or any part thereof, lessees thereof and their representatives may unite with each other, or jointly or separately with others, in collectively adopting and operating under a cooperative or unit plan of development or operation of such pool, field, or like area, or any part thereof, whenever this is determined and certified by the Secretary to be necessary or advisable in the public interest. The Secretary may in his discretion and with the consent of the holders of leases involved, establish, alter, change, revoke, and make such regulations with reference to such leases in connection with the institution and operation of any such cooperative or unit plan as he may deem necessary or proper to secure reasonable protection of the 47-348 0 - 7 2 - 1 6 (Pt. 2)

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