Hello Save Our Arkansas Valley Supporters!

This Memorial Day, we appreciate our freedoms and honor those who gave their all for this. 

Summer seems is underway, with the outdoor festivals already started, and the return of warm weather and hummingbirds. Let’s GET OUTSIDE together for a rally June 7! We have LOTS of updates for you in this newsletter — this is the time for ACTION (one of our freedoms)!

Mt. Princeton Geothermal, LLC (MPG) Requests Lease Renewal for Exploration Drilling in Maxwell Park

The State Land Board will meet June 12 to decide whether to renew MPG’s lease to drill deep exploratory wells in Maxwell Park. Drilling operations are loud, diesel-powered, and typically 24x7. There will be an impact to wildlife. The residents in the immediate area, at least 3 HOAs and numerous farmers, will also be affected by the noise, traffic, and lighting. What about Nathrop and neighboring hot springs visitors?  And of course there is always the unintended consequences from drilling 2000-2500 feet deep into the earth. Details of the lease renewal proposed will eventually be published on the State Land Board’s website. Look for the June board packet here, when it becomes available: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DT0E4gU0NJrSDCXtHxLNmlGDwJzACPQVF2J0VjtToBQ/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0

The existing lease, No. 113192, was for a 3-year period, and allowed drilling anywhere, any time (but elk calving season required special notice), for $3/acre on 3,692 acres.

SOAV is aware that a competitive geothermal lease has been submitted by a company (not MPG) for protection purposes, proposing nearly 3 times more revenue to the State Land Board for K-12 schools. 

SOAV is recommending that the exploratory lease of Maxwell Park State Trust Lands NOT be renewed to MPG.

SOAV needs your support and online comments to help block MPG’s lease renewal! We are a voice for the wildlife in Maxwell Park, who roam freely there today absent industrial noises. We support nearby residents and farmers who have invested in quiet, serene, pollution-free outdoor lifestyles who will be directly impacted by month(s) long deep well drilling. We stand by the 1900 well owners and nearby commercial hot springs industry’s rights to not undergo any unintentional ill effects.Click here and submit YOUR concerns about drilling  at Maxwell Park online before June 10, and/or register to provide live comments (or type this tiny url into your browser:  https://tinyurl.com/yj3a3kts).

Do you LOVE Maxwell Park the way it is today? RALLY for it!

Did you see the elk herd there again May 10? Come join us along Rodeo Road on Saturday, June 7 between 10 am - noon for a fence line walk, with signs of course! Stay as long as you like, visit, enjoy the bluebirds and the great outdoors. The Rally is to bring awareness to the State Land Board’s lease renewal proposal and get citizens and visitors to WRITE in their opposition and concerns. 

Directions: take CR 321 (Rodeo Rd) south from BV, and park along the Lost Creek neighborhood road (CR 323, Mount Princeton Rd).
DO NOT park along CR 321. We are NOT permitted to enter Maxwell Park itself, so we’ll stay in the right-of-way. 

Celebrating a New Colorado Law!

Many of our readers probably saw in the news that HB 1165 unfortunately passed without consideration to several protective requests lobbied for by the Hot Springs industry. The bill “streamlines” geothermal electricity applications (also unfortunately). SOAV puts this bill in the “loss” column in general for us. 

HOWEVER, another House Bill, 1332, mandates that a work group be formed and study published identifying State Trust Lands are appropriate for conservation (in lieu of development for K-12 funding), in an effort to save our lands for future generations. Ref: https://coloradosun.com/2025/05/14/state-land-board-legislation/

SOAV is asking the State Land Board to await the results of this study before renewing the lease, which will mar the pristine Maxwell Park with drilling. The study is due mid-2026. Help us with this plea! Donate now and help advertise the need for action! It’s notable that the picture in the Colorado Sun article linked above IS our majestic Mt. Princeton and it’s flanking protector Maxwell Park!

Keeping the Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) “In the Loop” 

SOAV representatives attend the BOCC meetings as much as possible, and continue to explain concerns with Maxwell Park’s development and related happenings. We feel the BOCC is “paying attention” and are engaged. We thank them (again) for any / all work to keep the land use code designation of Maxwell Park as “public conservation / recreation.” Maxwell Park is a valued natural resource for the County! Remember, these meetings are open to the public, or and you can also watch the recordings (calendar and link to recordings is here).

Additional MPG Activities  

• On May 1, it was announced that Mt. Princeton Geothermal (MPG) and Western Geothermal agreed to terms for a merger according to the State Land Board.

• MPG has registered as a Geothermal Operator with the Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC), Operator #10853, according to their report to the Commission April 30, 2025.

• Mandatory Pre-application consultation was held March 25, and no Forms submitted yet according to this same 4/30/25 report.

Thank you for reading and for your support!

Thank you, each of you, for signing up, sharing this newsletter with your friends and family. We encourage involvement in community affairs, and welcome volunteers who want to help us Save Our Arkansas Valley (SOAV). If you can't volunteer, please donate. And please reply by email with any questions or clarifications you may have. 

Sincerely, 
The SOAV Team!

Happy February all! With March just around the corner, Save Our Arkansas Valley is getting this newsletter into your in-box in time for you to help take action!

UPCOMING EVENT, March 12
Save Our Arkansas Valley has been working with the Colorado Energy Office to have Bryce Carter and staff visit BV and they will be presenting via a public, free forum for Chaffee County residents. All Chaffee County residents are encouraged to attend. Join us at the Reg Gym at the BV High School from 4:45 - 7:30 pm and bring your questions /concerns!  For full details of the event, visit the Events page of our website, SaveArkValley.org.

Presentation to BV Trustees on January 28, 2025 - 200 MW Geothermal Testing
ThermalGE Energy presented a request for seismic testing near BV for a 200 MW utility plant. The meeting was well-covered by Ark Valley Voice.  A representative from Save Our Ark Valley was in attendance to provide advance comments to the Trustees about the negative impacts of geothermal in general. More information and links to the recorded meeting are on our website under “History." Save Our Arkansas Valley fears the floodgates are opening for geothermal interests in our valley - and so far they all stem from self-indulging monetary proposals for electricity generation. We are not aware of proposals for geothermal electricity generation anywhere else in Colorado.  No one has proposed starting with something simple like geothermal sourced building heat in town or at the prison that would yield real benefits to our county.

Thank you for your support! 
- Your "Save Our Arkansas Valley” Team