History

Mount Princeton Geothermal, LLC (MPG) has been the only company seeking to capitalize on a geothermal utility power plant potential here in the Arkansas Valley and has been doing so since 2009! (1) First, they declared Poncha Springs the best location and sought to team up with a property owner there, but everything fell through circa 2009. (2) Then, between 2010 - 2013 Chalk Creek Valley was designated by MPG the best area, and the BLM was convinced to sell leases for drilling. Local homeowners and a State Senator petitioned to stop the project. Investigative drilling by CO School of Mines occurred in the area around this time, and the BLM lease itself was sold to a subsidiary of Young Life to preserve drinking water. Residents in the area report that drilling impacted wildlife (mountain lions disappeared), and that two nearby wells went dry. (3) The THIRD declared location was land owned by the City of Salida near Poncha Springs, which was studied and declared the best place to drill and locate a geothermal utility power plant per 2014 presentation — but the City voted “No” there; neither did Poncha Springs pursue such a plant. Confirmation of all these events and timeline continue.

NOW the push is a Maxwell Park location, with MPG stating it to now be the best location. Buena Vista and all of Chaffee County residents need to make sure all the prior “No’s” stand — say NO to any disruptive location in the County, including Maxwell Park!

2024-10-18: Save Our Arkansas Valley hosts a community presentation in BV about what they have learned about similar power plants. Event

2024-08-16: Western Geothermal (with Icelandic investors) announced they will match the State’s $500K grant for drilling at Maxwell Park, bringing MPG’s total funding for drilling to $1M. Source

2024-06-19: Announced agreement signing between Icelandic investor (Reykjavik Geothermal) and Western Geothermal, with a meeting at the BV Community Center hosted by MPG giving limited notice to the public. Community members that did attend expressed concern about the lack of jobs created. They also voiced that it is NOT OK to do the minimum required by regulations at this pristine, untouched proposed location. Cascading businesses in the area are not feasible as it would require massive amounts of piping all along Rodeo road 7 miles to the Prison and BV. The community also expressed Iceland’s culture, wildlife, etc. is quite different from the cultural constitution and landscape of our valley. Source

2024-05-24: MPG gets $500K matching grant to drill in Maxwell Park from Colorado Energy Office. Source

2023-11-30: MPG hosts a public informational meeting at the BV Community Center. Although questions were also taken (but firmly moderated), many attendees left feeling unheard and distrustful. Recording, Presentation

2023-01-17: Geothermal Energy group meets at Mount Princeton Event Center. Current Governor Jared Polis, former Governor Bill Ritter, the Colorado Energy Office and MPG invited particular community members to attend. No neighboring stakeholders were invited. Source

2020-07-01: MPG receives exploratory lease on Maxwell Park State Trust Land for $3 / acre, totaling $11,076 (3,692 acres), encompassing both sides of CR-321. Reference. Maxwell Park Details

2014-02-04: MPG presents to the City of Salida asking them to enter into a 3-way agreement with property owners and Poncha Springs so they can get an investor to drill - and start getting their $250K investment back. Salida was also asked to extend MPG’s existing agreement with the city for continued study of the site in Poncha. Source

2013-02-06: Colorado Senator Gail Schwartz comes out against geothermal development in Chalk Creek Canyon because it can negatively impact current residents or tourism activities. Letter

2010-11-10: BLM leases Chalk Creek Valley parcels to a subsidiary of Young Life to protect drinking water. Article 1 Article 2 BLM Notice

2010-05-14 to 06-11: Colorado School of Mines performs studies in Chalk Creek Valley, including drilling. Report

2010-09-16: BLM set to auction geothermal and oil & gas drilling leases in Chalk Creek Valley / Canyon after a special request was received to do so. Article