A proposal by Ormat Technologies to expand geothermal operations south of Heber was approved Tuesday, Aug. 5, by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors following a public hearing that drew support, legal objections and calls for improved communication from landowners.
The project, known as the Dogwood Geothermal Energy Project, includes the construction of a new 25-megawatt geothermal power plant within the existing Ormat Heber 2 footprint, the development of 22 megawatts of parasitic solar energy facilities on adjacent land and the drilling of four new wells connected by approximately 4,500 feet of brine pipeline.
The board voted unanimously to certify the project's environmental impact report, adopt mitigation requirements, and approve all three conditional use permits associated with the expansion.
The county's environmental consultant, HDR, began its review of the project in early 2024. A Notice of Preparation was issued for a 35-day public scoping period from Jan. 19 to Feb. 23, 2024. The draft environmental impact report was released on Aug. 14, 2024, and remained open for public comment for 152 days before closing on Jan. 13, 2025. The final EIR was issued in May.
The report identified eight resource areas where the project would have significant but mitigable impacts, including air quality, agricultural resources, biological and cultural resources, water, geology and soils, energy, and hazardous materials. It concluded that those impacts could be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the proposed mitigation measures.
Nine formal comment letters were submitted during the public review period. Two additional letters, both from the firm Adams Broadwell Joseph & Cardozo, representing environmental justice groups, were received after the deadline. HDR's representative, Tim Gnibus, told the board that staff reviewed the late letters and found no new impacts or issues requiring further mitigation.
Before opening the floor to public comment, District 1 Supervisor Jesus Escobar raised concerns about missing information on the project's economic impact.
"It's always important that we look at the direct economic benefit, the indirect economic benefit, jobs created, average wage rate, benefits basically the overall economic impact that this project will bring to the county," Escobar said. "Those are always numbers that are, in my eyes, important as we move forward with the project."
Several speakers representing royalty owners in the Heber geothermal field said they supported the project but criticized Ormat for poor communication and unresolved disputes over lease obligations.
Larry Osburn, speaking on behalf of the Heber Geothermal Royalty Owners Group, told the board that the group represents about 98 individuals who hold mineral rights in the geothermal steam field.
