(1) Where a geothermal resource is found in association with geothermal fluid which is tributary groundwater, such geothermal resource is declared to be a public resource to which usufructuary rights only may be established according to the procedures of this article. No correlative property right to such a geothermal resource in place is recognized as an incident of ownership of an estate in land.
The property right to a hot dry rock resource is an incident of the ownership of theoverlying surface, unless severed, reserved, or transferred with the subsurface estate expressly.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to derogate valid, existing property rights togeothermal resources which have vested prior to July 1, 1983. However, such property rights shall not be deemed vested absent the award of a decree for an application filed prior to June 10, 1983, pursuant to existing water law or the entering into of a geothermal lease prior to June 10, 1983, or unless utilizing facilities are actually in existence prior to July 1, 1983. A facility for utilization of geothermal resources shall be considered to be in existence if it is in actual operation or is undergoing significant construction activities prior to operation.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to derogate the rights of a landowner tonontributary groundwater.
Source: L. 83: Entire article added, p. 1420, § 1, effective June 10.