Geothermal Energy Controversy In Central Oregon

OREGON - ItÂ’s a strange and beautiful thing to be sitting outdoors in a small pit of 113-degree water during a cold, clear January night in Central Oregon. ItÂ’s even more bizarre when you glance to the frozen lake a few feet away, or the snow-crusted trees behind you.

This was the situation I found myself in recently. The water where I sat was not a hot tub - at least not according to Maytag standards. Rather, it was the product of an ancient shield volcano at the Newberry Volcanic National Monument about 45 miles from Bend. I had to dig several feet down into a rocky shoreline along Paulina Lake to discover the hot water. Upon reaching the source, I spent the next several hours forming my own pool. Then I soaked until my skin resembled an old prune.

The reason the hot water exists is because Newberry sits on top of millions of dollars worth of high-value pumice and geothermal energy. The popular recreational area where I sat that night is the focus of one of OregonÂ’s most controversial Measure 37 claims and the WestÂ’s future of sustainable energy resources.

Several companies, most specifically the Portland-based LPP Resources, which owns some of the Newberry property, have plans to build a geothermal power plant on the west flank of the crater. These kinds of power plants use heat and steam from the earthÂ’s core to crank turbines and generate electricity. The upside is the plants work without all the emissions associated with coal energy. The downside is they are often located in remote and scenic areas - such as the case with Newberry, one of only three national monuments in Oregon.


Basically the question weÂ’re dealing with here is whatÂ’s more important, taking advantage of a natural, efficient power supply or conserving the beauty of a state treasure? ItÂ’s a question with passionate support on each side. LetÂ’s take a look at some of the facts.


Currently, geothermal represents only a small slice of the countryÂ’s total power production. Most of our electricity still comes from coal, hydroelectric and natural gas-fired plants. However, when geothermal can be utilized itÂ’s an efficient way to generate electricity. The struggle is to find a reliable source. Typically that means a geologically unstable area with a history of volcanic activity. Newberry, which erupted 1,300 years ago, is a perfect candidate with temperatures around 500 degrees Fahrenheit a couple of miles below the surface, according to data from the Deschutes National Forest Website.

A study released recently by the U.S. Department of Energy said that with proper investing in geothermal technology, the United States could conjure enough energy from geothermal power plants to provide a tenth of the nationÂ’s power demands by 2050.


A geothermal plant functions by having operators drill into the ground to reach rocks that are heated by the EarthÂ’s core. The goal is to tap into areas where there are cracks in the rocks that hold superheated water. The liquid, at temperatures higher than 400 degrees, would be pumped toward the surface where, as steam, it would turn turbines to generate power. Sounds simple enough, right?




Â“TheyÂ’re wasting their time looking at this site,Â” he said.



Â“You donÂ’t see them trying to build power plants in Yellowstone Park,Â” he added.

The federal government designated the 55,000-acre Newberry area a monument in 1990 to Â“preserve the siteÂ’s unique character,Â” which includes forests of ponderosa pine and massive flows of volcanic rock. Newberry is a favorite for camping, hiking, fishing and winter sports enjoyed by Central Oregonians, myself included.



Â“IÂ’m not against geothermal energy,Â” Marlett said. Â“ItÂ’s just not a good idea to put (a power plant) in the middle of a national monument.Â”


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