The Geothermal Prograin at V.P.I. & S.U. has two goals. The immediate goal is the economic development of geothermal energy in the eastern U.S. A paper by Lambiase, Dashevsky, Costain, Gleason and McClung summarizes estimated and measured temperatures at the base of the Atlantic coastal plain in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina based on geothermal gradients measured in 66 holes. The gradients range from 16 to 50 C/km. Basement surface temperatures at several locations are estimated to be above an economically useful 40C; the highest is 91C. From this information, the most promising and best documented area for development of geothermal energy chosen by the authors is the Delmarva peninsula near Crisfield, MD. This is the location of the first deep geothermal test well on the East coast which is to be drilled within a month