47-1602. "GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES" DEFINED. For the purposes of this chapter, "geothermal resources" shall mean the natural heat energy of the earth, the energy, in whatever form, which may be found in any position and at any depth below the surface of the earth present in, resulting from, or created by, or which may be extracted from, such natural heat, and all minerals in solution or other products obtained from the material medium of any geothermal resource. Geothermal resources are found and hereby declared to be sui generis, being neither a mineral resource nor a water resource, but they are also found and hereby declared to be closely related to and possibly affecting and affected by water resources in many instances. No right to seek, obtain, or use geothermal resources has passed or shall pass with any existing or future lease of state or school lands, including but not limited to, mineral leases and leases issued under chapter 8, title 47, Idaho Code.
History:
[47-1602, added 1972, ch. 182, sec. 1, p. 467.]