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← Mission 42 · 2026 Newberry Geothermal Consent to Lease
MTJP CORPS · MORE THAN JUST PARKS ·42
Mission 42 · Deschutes National Forest, OR

Deschutes National Forest

The agency files it as “2026 Newberry Geothermal Consent to Lease”

Closes today

Anyone can write to the agency about this until October 19, and it has to answer. What you send before then joins the file a judge is allowed to look at later.

What to go and check

On the Deschutes National Forest acres being considered for geothermal leasing, walk to the springs, seeps and small creeks you know. Photograph each one dated: water flowing or dry bed, plus any elk or deer tracks at the edge.

The decision

The Deschutes National Forest is considering whether to grant consent to the Bureau of Land Management to lease approximately 29,477 acres of National Forest System lands for geothermal exploration and development. The project is described as an administrative action only. Written comments are being accepted on the proposal.

Read the whole thing, and write to the agency about it

How to record it so it counts

  1. 01Photograph the source and its surroundings: the wet ground, the vegetation, any pipe, trough or diversion.
  2. 02Photograph the flow with something in the frame that shows it is moving, or note that it is standing.
  3. 03Photograph any use by wildlife or stock: tracks, trampling, a trough.
  4. 04Note the date and time; springs change with a season.
  5. 05Write one paragraph. If you’ve known this spring for years, say what you’ve seen it do.
What would count
  • Water in the frame on a dated photo where the document said dry.
  • The years you’ve known it, in your own words.
All of it, with the phone settings, in the field guide
Are you going?

Say yes or no. It tells the next person whether anyone has this ground covered, and it is the only way we know a request was answered rather than just read. You can change your mind any time, and nobody follows up.

Join, then say you’re going

Nobody has answered yet

Before you go
  1. Public land only. Plenty of land inside a national forest or park boundary is privately owned, and that is not yours to walk on. A gate or a closure sign means stop. Check the rules for the specific place you are going, because they differ.
  2. Don’t touch survey stakes, flagging, equipment or anything a crew left. Photograph it; leave it.
  3. Don’t approach crews, contractors or agency staff about the project. Don’t interfere with any operation.
  4. Wildlife at a distance. No drones in wilderness or anywhere they’re prohibited. Stay off closed roads and trails.
  5. If you’re not sure, don’t. Weather, terrain, water, fire and people are your call, and yours alone.

More Than Just Parks doesn’t direct where you go or what you do. Terms.