America is finally moving very literally into the geothermal frontier. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced that it will open 190 million acres of public lands to geothermal leasing in 12 western states.

The plan, called the Final Geothermal Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, has the potential to produce 5,540 megawatts of new electric generating capacity by 2015 and a total 12,000 MW by 2025, enough to power 12 million homes.

Geothermal energy will play a key role in powering America's energy future," Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne said, "and 90% of our nation's geothermal resources are found on Federal lands."

About 118 million acres would be on BLM-managed land, with 79 million acres on National Forest System lands. Leasing revenues and royalties for a given site would be split up among the state (50%), the county (25%), and a fund to be invested in further geothermal development (25%).

This scenario has a fascinating paradox that could have pro-renewables and pro-wilderness groups taking different sides. Geothermal production on public lands will bring much of the associated noise, people, and equipment as other energy exploration activity. How would you feel about a big geothermal well in the middle of Yellowstone (which is not included on the current BLM list)?

Nobody ever said - or should have said - that the green revolution would be a completely benign activity. The days of simple pro- and anti- environment may be giving way to a more complex world in which the question becomes, "would you rather preserve America's last natural places or replace carbon-rich oil with clean renewables?".

Photo by Flickr user Tanakawho