The proposed action is to revise the existing Cooperative Research Contract to authorize the deep test well drilling phase of an on-going research project ... The well site is in T. 12 N., R. 6 W., PMM, Sec. 32, in the valley of Empire Creek near Marysville in southwestern Lewis and Clark County, Montana ... The objective of this research project is to investigate a geothermal anomaly of high heat flow discovered in 1969 in west-central Montana, and to determine how this natural resource might be developed as a source of useful energy. Under Phase I, the natural resource will be explored, drilled, and modeled at an estimated cost of 2,588,935 dollars over a 3-year period. Phase II, depending on the nature of the heat source, will be to develop the resource under a cooperative effort of government and private industry. This environmental analysis is intended to cover the drilling and logging operations noted under Phase I.

The objective of this research project is to investigate a geothermal anomaly of high heat flow discovered in 1969 in central Montana, and to determine how this natural resource might be developed as a source of useful energy. Under Phase I, the natural resource will be explored, drilled, and modeled at an estimated cost of $2,588,935 over a 3-year period. Phase II, depending upon the nature of the heat source, will be developing the resource under a cooperative effort of government and private industry. This environmental analysis is intended to cover the drilling and logging operations noted under Phase I, the only work being undertaken at this time. As can be seen from Figure 1, further tests may be run at this site in later phases of the study. But since the nature of these tests are highly dependent on the results of Phase I, it is not considered productive to speculate on their environmental impact. As is show, however, any later experiments would cover a range of underground experiments, some of which consume water and others which would produce water. Before a meaningful analysis of such work can be written, it will be necessary to analyze the results of Phase I findings.