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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 1020. Publication in Federal Register of known geothermal resource area lands; necessity of geothermal leases for development or production of geothermal resources in lands which the United States transferred with reservation of mineral rights
(a) Within one hundred and twenty days after December 24, 1970,
the Secretary shall cause to be published in the Federal Register a
determination of all lands which were included within any known
geothermal resources area on December 24, 1970. He shall likewise
publish in the Federal Register from time to time his determination
of other known geothermal resources areas specifying in each case
the date the lands were included in such area; and
(b) Geothermal resources in lands the surface of which has passed
from Federal ownership but in which the minerals have been reserved
to the United States shall not be developed or produced except
under geothermal leases made pursuant to this chapter. If the
Secretary of the Interior finds that such development is imminent,
or that production from a well heretofore drilled on such lands is
imminent, he shall so report to the Attorney General, and the
Attorney General is authorized and directed to institute an
appropriate proceeding in the United States district court of the
district in which such lands are located, to quiet the title of the
United States in such resources, and if the court determines that
the reservation of minerals to the United States in the lands
involved included the geothermal resources, to enjoin their
production otherwise than under the terms of this chapter:
Provided, That upon an authoritative judicial determination that
Federal mineral reservation does not include geothermal steam and
associated geothermal resources the duties of the Secretary of the
Interior to report and of the Attorney General to institute
proceedings, as hereinbefore set forth, shall cease.
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