Geothermal Exploration Consulting

JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. (JBR) provides environmental consulting services for HSS II, LLC’s (HSS II) for their Hot Sulphur Springs Geothermal Project in the northern Independence Valley of northeast Nevada. The Hot Sulphur Springs project itself consists of continuing exploration activity to fully characterize the resource and development of geothermal production and injection wells, permitting and construction of a 15-net MW binary geothermal power plant with the potential to expand to 48 MW, and the construction and installation of a 24+ mile electrical power transmission line that will connect the power plant to NV Energy’s Humboldt Substation. The energy from the Hot Sulphur Springs geothermal facility will be the only geothermally derived power source at this substation.

JBR has provided and is continuing to provide a wide range of services for this project, from permitting to environmental surveys to agency coordination. Some examples of this work:

• Securing multiple permits for HSS II, including:
  
  • Temporary Discharge Permit from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP),
  • Underground Injection Control Permit (NDEP),
  • Temporary Working in Waterways Permit (NDEP),
  • Exploratory well permits form the Nevada Division of Minerals (NDOM),
  • Drilling permit updates (NDOM),
    
  • NDOT permits for T-line crossing and access road driveway, and
  • Preparing a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment on 6 acres of the project area;
• Developing a sage grouse monitoring and reporting program;
• Conducting a baseline aquatic survey of Hot Creek;
• Preparing Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive and Candidate species surveys along the powerline transmission route;
• Coordinating archaeological surveys of power plant, exploration areas, and transmission line;
• Coordinating with the archaeological consultant and the Bureau of Land Management concerning archaeological mitigation required due to previous disturbances of potentially significant sites;
• Coordinating with HSS II and Nevada Division of Wildlife concerning mitigation for previous disturbances in areas occupied by sage grouse during strutting and nesting seasons;
• Researching the proposed establishment of a man-camp at the project site; and
• Conducted a groundwater investigation to locate a source of freshwater for the cooling towers; and
• Conducting a waters of the United States survey for the US Army Corps. of Engineers.

• Kristi McKinnon - Project Mgr./Environmental Specialist -