(1) The state board of land commissioners may lease any portion of the land of the state, or any interest therein, for the purposes of exploring for, producing, and developing the geothermal resources thereunder at a rental to be determined by the board, except as provided in sections 36-1-113, 36-1-118, and 36-1-147.5. (2) The geothermal leasing arrangements authorized by subsection (1) of this section shall include provision for: (a) The filing of a surety bond to assure compliance with the lease terms and the requirements of article 90.5 of title 37, C.R.S.; (b) Royalties on both the geothermal resource and its by-product; (c) The protection of the environment, including but not necessarily limited to the air quality, the ground and surface water quality, and the land surface, as well as the rest of the environment. (3) The geothermal leasing arrangements authorized by subsection (1) of this section are to be administered by the state board of land commissioners in a manner which encourages the maximum economic recovery of geothermal resources, prevents waste of said resources, and protects the public interest in the lands of the state by requiring the exploration for the development and protection of geothermal resources to proceed in an environmentally acceptable manner. (4) All existing leases on state lands for the development of geothermal resources are hereby validated as though they had been issued pursuant to the authority of this article.
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