> Geothermal power exploitation in Yellowstone, however, is illegal by act of Congress—the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (amended in 1988). This act requires the Department of Interior to preserve and monitor hydrothermal features, like Old Faithful, in units of the National Park Service, and there is a good reason that the law exists. In many places, including California, Nevada, Chile, New Zealand, and Iceland, geothermal power production has altered the behavior of nearby hydrothermal features. There is still quite a lot we don’t understand about how water moves beneath the surface in the Yellowstone area, and it is likely that even geothermal development outside the Park would impact features within the park.
> Geothermal power exploitation in Yellowstone, however, is illegal by act of Congress—the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (amended in 1988). This act requires the Department of Interior to preserve and monitor hydrothermal features, like Old Faithful, in units of the National Park Service, and there is a good reason that the law exists. In many places, including California, Nevada, Chile, New Zealand, and Iceland, geothermal power production has altered the behavior of nearby hydrothermal features. There is still quite a lot we don’t understand about how water moves beneath the surface in the Yellowstone area, and it is likely that even geothermal development outside the Park would impact features within the park.