PURPOSE: The leasing of geothermal resources under lands administered by the U.S. Bureau of Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in the western United States is proposed. Affected states are Alaska California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New, Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The proposed action would make geothermal leasing decisions on pending lease applications submitted prior to January 1, 2005 and to facilitate geothermal leasing decisions on other existing and future lease applications and nominations on the federal mineral estate in the western United States. Approximately 142 million acres of public lands administered by the BLM and 160 million acres of USFS lands overlay geothermal resources [...]