A. The commissioner shall, after consultation with the director of the bureau of geology and mineral resources, make a classification of geothermal areas that he has determined may be capable of producing geothermal resources in commercial quantities. These geothermal areas shall be classified as "known geothermal resources fields".
B. If any lands to be leased are within a known geothermal resources field, the lands shall be leased to the highest responsible qualified bidder under rules prescribed by the commissioner. The rules prescribed by the commissioner shall include notice to the public of the terms and conditions of the sale and procedures of conducting the sale, including the receipt of written bids on a competitive basis and the issuing of the lease.
History: 1953 Comp., § 7-15-6, enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 158, § 6; 2001, ch. 246, § 1.
Cross references. — For giving of legal notice, see 14-11-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.
For establishment of bureau of geology and mineral resources, a division of the New Mexico institute of mining and technology, and duties thereof, see 69-1-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.
The 2001 amendment, effective June 15, 2001, substituted "bureau of geology" for "bureau of mines" in Subsection A; and substituted "rules" for "regulations" in two places in Subsection B.
Law reviews. — For comment on geothermal energy and water law, see 19 Nat. Resources J. 445 (1979).
Structure 2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 13 - Lease of Geothermal Resources on State Lands
Section 19-13-1 - Short title.
Section 19-13-2 - Definitions.
Section 19-13-3 - Administration of act.
Section 19-13-4 - Geothermal resources of commercial value.
Section 19-13-5 - Leases; applications; limitations.
Section 19-13-6 - Known geothermal resources fields.
Section 19-13-7 - Leases; terms; rentals and royalties.
Section 19-13-8 - Leases; relinquishment.
Section 19-13-9 - Rent or royalties; waiver; suspension; reduction.
Section 19-13-10 - Suspension of operation and production.
Section 19-13-11 - Leases; duration.
Section 19-13-11.1 - Leases; stipulation; rental; royalty.
Section 19-13-11.2 - Validation of geothermal resource leases.
Section 19-13-12 - Combining geothermal resources.
Section 19-13-13 - Reinjecting geothermal resources.
Section 19-13-14 - Cooperative development or operation.
Section 19-13-15 - Posting of open acreage; simultaneous applications.
Section 19-13-16 - State land sales and leases; reservations.
Section 19-13-17 - Use of the surface.
Section 19-13-18 - Bonds; surface damage; performance.
Section 19-13-19 - State lands; jurisdictions.
Section 19-13-20 - General mining lease; lease preference.
Section 19-13-21 - Transferability.
Section 19-13-22 - Inspection of records; reports.
Section 19-13-23 - Violation of lease; notice; forfeiture.
Section 19-13-24 - Removing improvements upon termination of lease.
Section 19-13-25 - Regulations.
Section 19-13-26 - Withholding state lands from lease; lease by competitive bids.