Geothermal leases for lands withdrawn or acquired in aid of functions of the Department of the Interior may be issued only under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe to insure adequate utilization of the lands for the purposes for which they were withdrawn or acquired.

Geothermal leases for lands withdrawn or acquired in aid of functions of the Department of Agriculture may be issued only with the consent of, and subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by, the head of that Department to insure adequate utilization of the lands for the purposes for which they were withdrawn or acquired. Geothermal leases for lands to which section 818 of title 16 is applicable, may be issued only with the consent of, and subject to, such terms and conditions as the Secretary of Energy may prescribe to insure adequate utilization of such lands for power and related purposes.

Geothermal leases under this chapter shall not be issued for lands administered in accordance with (1) the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535),[1] as amended or supplemented, (2) for lands within a national recreation area, (3) for lands in a fish hatchery administered by the Secretary, wildlife refuge, wildlife range, game range, wildlife management area, waterfowl production area, or for lands acquired or reserved for the protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, (4) for tribally or individually owned Indian trust or restricted lands, within or without the boundaries of Indian reservations.

(Pub. L. 91–581, § 15, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1571; Pub. L. 95–91, title III, § 301(b), title VII, §§ 703, 707, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 578, 606, 607; Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 236(15), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 672.)