Comments: Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commisssion (ERCDC) Draft Staff Report - Geothermal

My major impression of the Staff Draft ''Geothermal Policy Option Paper...'' is that notwithstanding repeated statements that geothermal development is to be encouraged by streamlining the regulatory siting process, the ERCDC is trying to confer on itself jurisdiction over the exploratory development of the resource; thus, expanding regulatory involvement. The Staff is proposing alternative methods of asserting control over the county's conditional use--EIR process. The Warren-Alquist Act simply does not grant siting jurisdiction to the Energy Commission for exploratory steam well drilling. For the Staff to say that the Commission simply chooses not to take jurisdiction is to ignore the statutory scheme regulating geothermal development and serves to reinforce a posture justifying extensive control over the county's land use prerogative