30 USC § 1022 - Prevention of waste; exclusivity

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t30/s1022"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "30 USC § 1022 - Prevention of waste; exclusivity"
title_number: 30
title_name: "MINERAL LANDS AND MINING"
section_number: "1022"
section_name: "Prevention of waste; exclusivity"
chapter_number: 23
chapter_name: "GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 91–581, § 23, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1573; Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 236(1), (21), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 671, 673.)"
---


# § 1022. Prevention of waste; exclusivity

**(a)** All leases under this chapter shall be subject to the condition that the lessee will, in conducting his exploration, development, and producing operations, use all reasonable precautions to prevent waste of geothermal resources developed in the lands leased.

**(b)** Rights to develop and utilize geothermal resources underlying lands owned by the United States may be acquired solely in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 91–581, § 23, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1573; Pub. L. 109–58, title II, § 236(1), (21), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 671, 673.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2005— inserted section catchline and substituted “geothermal resources” for “geothermal steam and associated geothermal resources” in subsecs. (a) and (b).