Call for reinstatement of geothermal funding

In a letter delivered Friday to the Members of the U.S.
Senate Committee on Appropriations, more than sixty businesses,
environmental, consumer, and energy policy organizations called for the
restoration of funding for the federal geothermal energy research and
development program. Also signing the letter were four dozen individuals,
including many active in geothermal energy projects.



Specifically, the letter urged the Senate to restore funding for the U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) geothermal research and development program
to at least the Fiscal Year 2006 (FY'06) level of $23 million and to
consider an even higher level of support. The White House has proposed to
zero-out funding for geothermal development for FY'07 while the U.S. House
of Representatives has approved a funding level of only $5 million.

The authors of the letter noted that a study recently prepared for the
Western Governors Association conservatively projects the near-term
development potential of geothermal energy at 13,000 megawatts of
capacity. That is the equivalent of about 15 nuclear power plants or 30
coal-fired plants. Further analyses done by the Geothermal Energy
Association suggest that the potential may actually be two or more times
greater.

Moreover, geothermal energy's contribution to the nation's electricity
supply increased by 2.6 percent last year according to the latest analyses
done by the Energy Information Administration. At the same time,
non-electric applications of geothermal technology have increased
dramatically among businesses, schools, and homes. Investing in DOE's
Geothermal Research and Development Program will certainly spur even more
development compared to last year's increases.

"Given the significant potential of geothermal energy to meet the
nation's energy needs coupled with the importance of reducing energy
imports, energy prices, and greenhouse gas emissions,­ and the fact that
carefully-sited geothermal facilities can produce cost-effective power
that is significantly cleaner than fossil fuel and nuclear options,­ the
proposed cuts in geothermal funds are both illogical and unacceptable," the
letter's signers wrote. "In fact, there is a good case for significant
increases in funding for not only geothermal, but the full cross-section
of federal renewable energy and energy efficient technology R&D
programs."

The full text of the letter and list of signers follows.

RESTORE FUNDING FOR THE FEDERAL GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PROGRAM!

June 16, 2006

To: Members, Senate Committee on Appropriations

Attn: Staff Members Working on Appropriations and/or Energy

Dear Senator:

We, the undersigned businesses, organizations, and individuals, are
writing to urge that you restore funding for the U.S. Department of
Energy's (DOE) geothermal research and development program to at least the
Fiscal Year 2006 (FY'06) level of $23 million and to consider an even
higher level of support.

As you know the Administration has proposed to zero-out funding for
geothermal development for FY'07 while the U.S. House of Representatives
has approved a funding level of only $5 million.

Given the significant potential of geothermal energy to meet the nation¨^s
energy needs coupled with the importance of reducing energy imports,
energy prices, and greenhouse gas emissions, the proposed cuts in
geothermal funds are both illogical and unacceptable.

A study recently prepared for the Western Governors Association
conservatively projects the near-term development potential of geothermal
energy at 13,000 megawatts of capacity. That is the equivalent of about
15 nuclear power plants or 30 coal-fired plants. Further analyses done by
the Geothermal Energy Association suggest that the potential may actually
be two or more times greater.

Moreover, geothermal energy's contribution to the nation's electricity
supply increased by 2.6 percent last year according to the latest analyses
done by the Energy Information Administration. At the same time,
non-electric applications of geothermal technology have increased
dramatically among businesses, schools, and homes. Investing in DOE's
Geothermal Research and Development Program will certainly spur even more
development compared to last year's increases.

Given this potential and the fact that carefully-sited geothermal
facilities can produce cost-effective power that is significantly cleaner
than fossil fuel and nuclear options, it makes no sense to reduce funding
for this technology. In fact, there is a good case for significant
increases in funding for not only geothermal, but the full cross-section
of federal renewable energy and energy efficient technology R&D programs.

We therefore urge you to reject the Administration's proposal to zero-out
the federal geothermal energy R&D program and instead support restoration
of funding to no less than FY'06 levels.

We appreciate your support and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

ORGANIZATIONAL SIGNERS

Edna Sussman
Action for Tomorrow's Environment
Scarsdale, NY

Micah Walker Parkin
Alliance for Affordable Energy
New Orleans, LA

Rochelle Becker
Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility
San Luis Obispo, CA

Gary Seawright
AmeriCulture, Inc.
Animas, NM

Daniel F. Ancona III
Ancona International, LLC
Annandale, VA

Bill Holmberg
Biomass Coordinating Council
Washington, DC

Bob Lawrence
Bob Lawrence & Associates, Inc.
Alexandria, VA

Gary R. Thompson, P.Geo; Curtis Marr
Cayley Geothermal Corp.
Sherwood Park, AB, Canada

Daniel Dudak
California State Lands Commission
Long Beach, CA

Duane L. Otto
Cavalier Rural Electric Co-op.
Langdon, ND

Greg Dierkers
Center for Clean Air Policy
Washington, DC

Dave Olsen
Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies
Ventura, CA

Bill Pearson
Chong Partners Architecture
San Francisco, CA

Julie Frank
Dial Discoveries, LLC
Olympia, WA

Ronald C. Barr
Earth Power Resources, Inc.
Tulsa, OK

Kenneth Langer
EMSI
Washington, DC

Don Erickson
Energy Concepts
Annapolis, MD

Carol Werner
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Washington, DC

Jim Combs, Ph.D.
Geo Hills Associates
Reno, NV

Glenn Lovelace
GeoTek Energy, LLC
Austin, TX

Marilyn L. Nemzer
Geothermal Education Office
Tiburon, CA

Ted. J. Clutter
Geothermal Resources Council
Davis, CA

Ann Robertson-Tait
GeothermEx, Inc.
Richmond, CA

William Dunlay
Good Energy Engineering
Cape Elizabeth, ME

Nancy Seubert
IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office
Monroe, MI

Keith Parker
H2NOW
Cassville, MO

Dale Merrick
I'SOT Inc.
Canby, CA

Rita Schenck
Institute for Environmental Research and Education
Vashon, WA

Walter S. Snyder
Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium
Boise, ID

Andy McDonald
Kentucky Solar Partnership
Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest
Frankfort, KY

Laurie McClenahan Hietter
MHA Environmental Consulting, Inc.
San Mateo, CA

David Gard
Michigan Environmental Council
Lansing, MI

Adam Rasmussen
Mountain Power Systems
Stateline, NV

Lynne Kurilovitch, Dr. David I. Norman
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM

Northern California Power Agency
Roseville, CA

Michael Mariotte
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
Takoma Park, MD

Donald Okahara, Tyson Toyama
Okahara & Associates, Inc.
Honolulu, HI

Michael W. Grainey, Director
Oregon Department of Energy
Salem, OR

Noah Brockman
PointMan Consulting LLC
Portland, OR

William L Osborn
PowerChem Technology LLC
Minden, NV

Aviv Goldsmith
Precursor Systems, Inc.
Spotsylvania, VA

Phil von Hake
PvH Communications
Morrison, CO

Qadwi Bey
R.A. Energy International, Inc.
Cleveland, OH

Chris Rose
Renewable Energy Alaska Project
Palmer, AK

Roy Morrison
Roy Morrison & Associates, LLC
Warner, NH

Alex Sifford
Sifford Energy Services
Neskowin, OR

Ned Ryan Doyle
Southern Energy & Environment Expo
Etowah, NC

Scott Sklar
The Stella Group, Ltd.
Washington, DC

Tom Bishop
Sunelco, Inc
Victor, MT

Rona Fried
SustainableBusiness.com
Huntington Station, NY

Leslie Ames
Tahoe Solar Designs
South Lake Tahoe, CA

Tsvi Miedav
Trans-Pacific Geothermal Corporation
Oakland, CA

Stephen Arber
Trident Seafoods Corp.
Seattle, WA

Fred Tornatore
TSS Consultants
Rancho Cordova, CA

Douglas Jung
Two-Phase Engineering & Research, Inc.
Santa Rosa, CA

Marchant Wentworth
Union of Concerned Scientists
Washington, DC

Daniel Kunz, Doug Glaspey
US Geothermal, Inc.
Boise, ID

Tim Wagner
Utah Smart Energy Campaign
Salt Lake City, UT

Guy Nelson
Utility Forum Connection
Lincoln City, OR

Glenn Cannon
Waverly Light and Power
Waverly, IA

Craig Dunn, B.Sc. Geol
WellDunn Consulting
Calgary, Alberta

William R. Henkle, Jr.
Western Geothermal Partners, LLC
Reno, NV


INDIVIDUAL SIGNERS

Ronny Bar-Gadda
Palo Alto, CA

Liz Battocletti
Alexandria, VA

John Henry Beyer, Ph.D.
El Cerrito, CA

Robert Blackett
Cedar City, UT

Robert W. Carington, P.E.
San Antonio, TX

Chase Davis
Spokane, WA

Scott Denman
Takoma Park, MD

Ronald DiPippo, Ph.D.
Dartmouth, MA

Kevin Eber
Boulder, CO

Al Fritsch, Ph.D.
Kentucky

Sabodh K. Garg, Ph.D.
Del Mar, CA

Bill Golove
El Cerrito, CA

Will Gosnold
Grand Forks, ND

Holly Heinzmann
Norris, MT

Margarita L. Hopkins
Hilo, HI

Kwang J. Kim, PhD
Reno, NV

Brian A. Koenig
Calipatria, CA

Evgeny Kolev, Ph.D.
Mount Prospect, IL

Marcelo Lippmann
Berkeley, CA

Jim Lovekin
Berkeley, CA

Michael Maish, PE
Boulder, CO

W. Frank Mills, Jr.
Montgomery, AL

Dr. Joseph Moore
Salt Lake City, UT

Liz Moore
Lakewood, CO

Gregory D. Nash, Ph.D.
Salt Lake City, UT

Teresa Nealon
Golden, CO

Giulio Negrini
Carlstadt, NJ

Kenneth Press Nemzer
Tiburon, CA

Brian Normann
Georgetown, TX

Cheri Normann
Edgewood, NM

Harrol D. Pearson
Marble City, OK

Stephen Pew
Huntington Beach, CA

John W. Pritchett
San Diego, CA

Karsten Pruess
Berkeley, CA

Maria Richards
Dallas, TX

Peter Rose *
Geothermal Program Coordinator
Energy and Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT

J. Eric Schuster
Olympia, WA

Helen Shane
Sebastopol, CA

Richard P. Smith, Ph.D., P.G.
Nathrop, CO

Lenna Storm
Vienna, VA

James L. Szatkowski, P.E.
Boise, ID

Linda Quackenbush Turner
Salt Lake City, UT

Tracey Van Gundy
Reno, NV

Douglas E. Vetter
Thornton, CO

Phil Wannamaker
Salt Lake City, UT

Randy Weaver
Cincinnati, OH

Margaret Weber
Adrian, MI

Mark D. Wilson
Columbus, OH

* Affiliation listed for identification purposes only