Latest news with #GreatBasin
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
US implements emergency permitting procedures to speed geothermal energy development
WASHINGTON, May 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of the Interior said on Friday it was implementing emergency permitting procedures to accelerate reviews of geothermal energy development projects. The projects that will be fast-tracked include three in Nevada led by Ormat, which received funding in 2020 during the first Trump administration for research and development. 'Geothermal energy is a reliable energy source that can power critical infrastructure for national security and help advance energy independence,' Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. 'We're fast-tracking reliable energy projects while strengthening national security and supporting American workers.' The Trump administration declared an "energy emergency" in President Donald Trump's first days in office, allowing him to use a series of steps to fast-track or skip over lengthy environmental reviews and permitting processes for oil and gas production as well as mining. His emergency orders did not apply to renewable energy like solar power or wind but now applies to geothermal, a form of renewable energy which harnesses heat generated within the Earth for heating, cooling and electricity generation.' It is a technology that enjoys support from Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who has previously invested in geothermal company Fervo Energy. Last week, the U.S. Geological Survey produced a report that said that geothermal energy in the Great Basin of Nevada and adjoining states could produce electricity equivalent to 10% of the current U.S. power supply.
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Liberty Gold: Advancing a Multi-Million Ounce Gold Project With Antimony Upside
A near-construction oxide gold mine in the Great Basin with added exposure to critical minerals Why This Matters Liberty Gold (TSX: LGD, OTCQX: LGDTF) is developing one of the Great Basin's most significant open-pit gold oxide deposits at a time when U.S. domestic resource supply is under the spotlight. The company's flagship asset, located in southern Idaho, holds a 5 to 8 million-ounce gold system with a completed prefeasibility study and formal mine permitting process already underway. With its low-cost heap leach model and scalable footprint, the project is on track to support future construction. Meanwhile, Liberty Gold is creating additional value with the discovery of high-grade antimony mineralization at its second asset in Utah. As global demand grows for antimony, a critical mineral used in munitions and fire retardants, the company plans to spin out this asset into a new entity—offering Liberty shareholders exposure to both gold development and strategic minerals. With strong project economics and infrastructure access, Liberty Gold is positioning itself to be a key U.S. player in both precious and critical metals. Key Takeaways: Flagship oxide gold asset with up to 8 million ounces in southern Idaho Low-cost, open-pit heap leach model with robust PFS and permitting underway Discovery of high-grade antimony at second site adds critical mineral upside Spinout planned for Utah asset, providing Liberty shareholders with added exposure Operating in mining-friendly U.S. jurisdictions with clear permitting pathways Published by
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Science
- Reuters
US agency says geothermal energy in Nevada's Great Basin could play larger role
May 22 (Reuters) - Geothermal energy in the Great Basin of Nevada and adjoining states could produce electricity equivalent to 10% of the current U.S. power supply, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Thursday. The projected 10% would be a major increase, considering that geothermal energy currently contributes less than 1% to the nation's power supply, the agency said in a note. "Provisional assessment shows potential for 135 gigawatts of baseload power – if current technology works at scale in Nevada and 5 adjoining states," it noted. Geothermal energy refers to heat generated within the Earth that can be harnessed for uses including heating, cooling and electricity generation. With adequate technological advancements in coming years, the geothermal potential in the Great Basin is sufficient to fulfill a significant portion of the nation's electrical requirements, the agency added. Following the assessment in the Great Basin, the next region to be evaluated will be the Williston Basin in North Dakota, according to the agency.
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Rare Olive-colored Fish in Nevada Nears Key Step Toward Endangered Species Listing
US wildlife officials want to extend federal protections to a rare Nevada fish that environmentalists say is 'barely clinging to existence" because of rapid groundwater pumping in a remote region experiencing extreme drought conditions. The US Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to list the Fish Lake Valley tui chub as an endangered species is expected to publish Wednesday on the Federal Register, kicking off a 60-day public comment period, The Associated Press reported. It marks the Trump administration's first consideration to list an endangered species during his second term. The pace of listings dropped dramatically during President Donald Trump's first term. The Center for Biological Diversity sued in 2023 and secured a settlement last year that forced the government to decide by this month whether to list the fish under the Endangered Species Act, which makes it illegal to import, export, possess, transport or kill those species. Patrick Donnelly, director of the center's work across the Great Basin where the tui chub is found, said Nevada can't afford to lose any more of its native fish species, like the Ash Meadows killifish and Raycraft Ranch springfish that became extinct decades ago. 'The Fish Lake Valley tui chub is barely clinging to existence," he said in a statement. 'I'm thrilled these fish are poised to get the life-saving protections they urgently need.' The olive-colored minnow, which is less than 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) long, used to live in a half dozen springs in Fish Lake Valley in southwestern Nevada, near the California border. But they are now found in just one spring system between Las Vegas and Reno that the center says is threatened by groundwater pumping mostly used for the production of alfalfa. Other threats include looming lithium mining and geothermal energy projects. While the tui chub is the 'most significant organism' living in that pond, Donnelly said its significance is 'much broader than that.' Fish Lake Valley's wetlands that support all kinds of desert wildlife, including the pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep, are also dependent on the groundwater there. 'If the water level keeps going down and the Fish Lake Valley tui chub goes extinct, that whole ecosystem is going to crash, because it's the same water that sustains both of them,' Donnelly said. 'The Fish Lake Valley tui chub could be considered an indicator of the health of that whole ecosystem.' In its proposal, the wildlife agency said the designation is warranted because of 'the destruction and modification" of the tui chub's habitat 'caused by agricultural production or other land management practices," as well as the effects of climate change and competition with invasive species. At the same time, the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate habitat protections for endangered and threatened species by redefining 'harm' in the Endangered Species Act, which has long included altering or destroying the places those species live. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service said in a proposed rule issued last month that habitat modification shouldn't be considered harm because it isn't the same as intentionally targeting a species, which is called 'take.' If adopted, environmentalists say it would lead to the extinction of endangered species because of logging, mining, development and other activities. They argue that the definition of 'take' has always included actions that harm species, and that the definition of 'harm' has been upheld by the US Supreme Court.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
A rare olive-colored fish in Nevada nears a key step toward endangered species listing
U.S. wildlife officials want to extend federal protections to a rare Nevada fish that environmentalists say is 'barely clinging to existence" because of rapid groundwater pumping in a remote region experiencing extreme drought conditions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal to list the Fish Lake Valley tui chub as an endangered species is expected to publish Wednesday on the Federal Register, kicking off a 60-day public comment period. It marks the Trump administration's first consideration to list an endangered species during his second term. The pace of listings dropped dramatically during President Donald Trump's first term. The Center for Biological Diversity sued in 2023 and secured a settlement last year that forced the government to decide by this month whether to list the fish under the Endangered Species Act, which makes it illegal to import, export, possess, transport or kill those species. Patrick Donnelly, director of the center's work across the Great Basin where the tui chub is found, said Nevada can't afford to lose any more of its native fish species, like the Ash Meadows killifish and Raycraft Ranch springfish that became extinct decades ago. 'The Fish Lake Valley tui chub is barely clinging to existence," he said in a statement. 'I'm thrilled these fish are poised to get the life-saving protections they urgently need.' The olive-colored minnow, which is less than 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) long, used to live in a half dozen springs in Fish Lake Valley in southwestern Nevada, near the California border. But they are now found in just one spring system between Las Vegas and Reno that the center says is threatened by groundwater pumping mostly used for the production of alfalfa. Other threats include looming lithium mining and geothermal energy projects. While the tui chub is the 'most significant organism' living in that pond, Donnelly said its significance is 'much broader than that.' Fish Lake Valley's wetlands that support all kinds of desert wildlife, including the pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep, are also dependent on the groundwater there. 'If the water level keeps going down and the Fish Lake Valley tui chub goes extinct, that whole ecosystem is going to crash, because it's the same water that sustains both of them,' Donnelly said. 'The Fish Lake Valley tui chub could be considered an indicator of the health of that whole ecosystem.' In its proposal, the wildlife agency said the designation is warranted because of 'the destruction and modification" of the tui chub's habitat 'caused by agricultural production or other land management practices," as well as the effects of climate change and competition with invasive species. At the same time, the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate habitat protections for endangered and threatened species by redefining 'harm' in the Endangered Species Act, which has long included altering or destroying the places those species live. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service said in a proposed rule issued last month that habitat modification shouldn't be considered harm because it isn't the same as intentionally targeting a species, which is called 'take.' If adopted, environmentalists say it would lead to the extinction of endangered species because of logging, mining, development and other activities. They argue that the definition of 'take' has always included actions that harm species, and that the definition of 'harm' has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
