Burning Man Surrenders Fight Against Nevada’s Controversial Geothermal Development

Everyone loves a good David versus Goliath story, and here’s one with glow sticks and geothermal drills. Burning Man, the desert festival that attracts tech bros and hippies alike, just caved in its legal battle against a geothermal drilling project near its Nevada site. The organizers, along with environmental groups and the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, had sued the Bureau of Land Management over its approval of Ormat Technologies‘ 19-well exploration project.

Desert festival throws glow sticks at geothermal project, tech bros and hippies unite against drilling

The whole thing started in October 2022 when BLM greenlit Ormat’s plans near Gerlach, the last town before the Black Rock Desert. Washoe County followed suit in January 2023. Burning Man’s lawyers cried foul, claiming the environmental review was chopped up to avoid looking at the bigger picture. They weren’t wrong to worry. The drilling would’ve happened right next to some unique hot springs that locals and tourists actually care about. The controversy highlights how geothermal energy, despite producing 99% less carbon than fossil fuels, can still face significant local opposition.

Here’s where it gets interesting. The suit argued that once you start poking holes in the desert, you can’t unpoke them. The damage to the local ecosystem and economy would be permanent. Burning Man claimed the project threatened their “unique environment and cultural ambiance.” Translation: drilling rigs don’t vibe with radical self-expression.

Local residents backed Burning Man’s fight. They saw their way of life under threat from what opponents called a fast-tracked approval process. The Summit Lake Paiute Tribe jumped in too, worried about cultural and ecological impacts. Everyone accused the government of rushing through without proper transparency. But Washoe County commissioners eventually voted 3-2 against the drilling permit after hearing from 28 Gerlach residents who opposed the project.

But money talks, even in the desert. In October 2024, Burning Man threw in the towel and opened its wallet. They’re buying back the drilling leases from Ormat, effectively killing the project. The price tag? Nobody’s saying. Ormat agreed to support converting the area into a conservation zone, which is nice, I guess.

The irony isn’t lost on anyone. Ormat runs several geothermal plants that produce zero-emission power. Nevada needs clean energy. But apparently, not if it means messing with Burning Man’s desert playground. Sometimes even the counterculture has to play by capitalism’s rules.