Geothermal Debate Heats Up at Mammoth Lakes Town Council (The Sheet)
A seemingly benign Consent Agenda item inspired passionate remarks at the April 16 Mammoth Lakes Town Council meeting. The item in question: approval of a letter in support of the Mammoth Community Water District’s (MCWD) concerns regarding the potential impact of the proposed Casa Diablo IV Geothermal project to the Town groundwater supply.
Last September, MCWD presented its case against the proposed Ormat, NV Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development project. The project would include the construction of a new 40 MWe geothermal power plant, up to 16 new production and injection wells, multiple pipelines, and an electric transmission line.
Particularly troubling to MCWD is that water use at the proposed plant would increase from the current 19,000 acre-feet to about 29,000 acre feet per year. This water would be extracted from production wells located in the Basalt Canyon area, many in close proximity to MCWD groundwater supply wells.
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