Deep Rose Geothermal Exploration Project Supplemental Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration

The proposed Deep Rose Geothermal Exploration Project seeks authorization from the California Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) to drill, test, and monitor up to four exploratory geothermal wells within the Haiwee Geothermal Leasing Area, formerly known as the Coso Known Geothermal Resource Area, located in the northwest region of Inyo County. The well pad will be situated on state-owned land administered by the California State Lands Commission and federally administered land under the Bureau of Land Management, spanning Sections 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 16 of Township 21 South, Range 38 East. Construction activities will include developing a well pad, constructing a new road and four traffic turnouts, upgrading existing roads, installing a water storage area and booster pump station with plastic piping, and transporting water from a private source. Drilling operations are planned for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with each well requiring up to 200 days to complete, and all four wells targeted for completion within two years of project initiation. Environmental compliance is central to the project’s implementation, guided by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) through a Mitigated Negative Declaration. The project must adhere to a suite of regulatory standards including air quality controls under GBUAPCD Rule 401, hazardous material handling per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200, spill prevention under 40 CFR Part 112, and groundwater protection requirements under CalGEM regulations and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Mitigation measures include cultural resource protection per the Tribal Cultural Resources Management and Treatment Plan, protection of sensitive species such as the Mohave ground squirrel and western Joshua tree, and implementation of dust and stormwater control protocols. The project is subject to inspection and acceptance by state and federal agencies including CalGEM, the Inyo County Planning Department, the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. No formal federal contract structure, funding codes, or procurement elements such as contract type, pricing, or evaluation factors are present; the document serves as an environmental review with operational and regulatory conditions, not a federal acquisition instrument. Submissions for public comment were required by August 27, 2025, and all project activities are contingent on compliance with the approved environmental mitigation measures.