Burning Man Project is pleased to announce that we have been working with Ormat Technologies, Inc. for the past year to arrive at an agreement that will benefit both organizations and the town of Gerlach, Nevada.
Ormat is a leading renewable energy provider headquartered in Reno, Nevada, and in 2020 proposed an expansive exploration project for geothermal resources in Gerlach. Burning Man Project, the Town of Gerlach, and several other nonprofit organizations raised serious concerns about the potential and likely environmental, social, and economic impacts.
You can see our previous coverage in Journal posts here.
The agreement between Burning Man Project and Ormat Technologies, Inc. brings to a close the lawsuit filed by Burning Man Project against the Bureau of Land Management related to the proposed exploration project.
Please see below for the public announcement.
Press Release – Burning Man & Ormat – October 2024Cover image of Highway 447 at Dusk, 2022 (Photo by Deets Shay)
It’s great to see this situation arrive at a conclusion. Congratulations to all involved.
Report comment
So much for no footprint on the Playa. Our Festival when created had no ” founders” aka no Monetization, the Bliss was gone some time ago. Airstrip, Corporate Camps are antithesis of our Vision. Coopted for Profit & Ego. Disgraceful.
Report comment
If you think a giant geothermal company with deep pockets and decades-long vision was going to be totally staved off forever, I feel like you haven’t been paying any attention these last couple hundred years of American history or so. Especially in Nevada, which loves drilling so much that the state motto is named after it. The most you could probably help for is to get some concessions and protections, and they did that, so let’s hope it works out and they don’t cheat (I mean, they’re very likely to, but at least you gotta try)
Report comment
100%
Report comment
I admit, once I saw wealthy individuals choosing to “fly into the burn“ and not just using the airstrip for medical evacuation type situations I knew a page had turned. That and seeing all of the super “camps” where people are basically showing up only for wild costume, Instagram moments as they project wanna be yoga karmic video bee I realized that here is one more place money has shown up to take over simple and pure principles and once again soil them.
Report comment
Your comment seems out of place on this thread. Did you read the announcement? It is literally about conservation and the burning man project’s contribution to preserve the black rock desert and gerlach. They are donating to conservation. Kind of the opposite of what you are talking about. Airstrip? For profit? Please tell me how this announcement embodies this as monetization. I swear, some will never be happy no matter what. Hope you have a better day, Mark.
Report comment
Agreed except it is NOT a festival it is and always been and experiment
Report comment
So green energy. Carbon reduction. Environmental stewardship and responsibility, are not what we should support and are non-core values of Burning Man? I would respectfully disagree.
Report comment
Where can we read the agreement?
Report comment
I’d like to know how our Paiute community feel about this happening to their land.
Report comment
Ormat take over the center camp coffeeshop
and we’ll call it even
Report comment
Yes, they should run power lines miles from their Gerlach plant to the middle of the desert playa (on protected federal land, so they have to pay the feds, as well as the state and local municipalities, to put up those lines) to heat up the hot water for the coffee makers, have all the beans and equipment carried in and out when they have the heavy machinery coming in and out for months to drill, pay big diesel vehicles to carry the gray water from the coffee shop to be used as part of their “million gallons a day from the aquifer” dust-abatement program. And, since the rules of the event don’t allow any commercial promotion, they have to do it entirely on the DL. Amazing and highly likely
Report comment
Earlier Marian said:
“We are taking steps to focus our operations for the future, and need the community’s help to raise the funds needed to preserve Black Rock City as the vibrant heart of Burning Man”
So how much of the $20 a month is going toward the purchase of the leases from Ormat?
Hope you got us a sweet deal and that you explain how this focuses operations for OUR future…
Report comment