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US Government Announces Revised Regulations for Solar Projects on Public Lands in the West.
2023-01-05
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is taking action to guide the development of solar energy on public lands. An updated Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) will be created, as well as reviews being conducted for three proposed solar projects in Arizona that could add 1 GW of capacity to the grid. This update to the decade-old process may include more states and new or expanded areas for prioritization. The BLM has also announced a 60-day public comment period for the notice, along with updated guidance for improving consistency in processing rights-of-way for utility-scale solar projects.
Initial reviews are also planned for new solar projects proposed on public lands in Arizona, such as the 600 MW Jove project and the 250 MW Pinyon and 300 MW Elisabeth projects. Currently, the BLM is processing 65 clean energy projects proposed on public lands, including solar, wind and geothermal initiatives. These have the potential to add a combined 31,000 MW of capacity to the western electric grid. In addition, over 100 applications for solar and wind development are undergoing preliminary review as well as nearly 50 for testing purposes.
The BLM is committed to responsibly managing renewable energy development in order to bring clean energy sources to the region. The updated Solar PEIS will help guide this process, ensuring that areas with high solar potential are identified while protecting resources from conflicts. Hopefully, these efforts will pave the way for an even brighter future with sustainable power sources across the West.
The BLM will continue to conduct reviews and plan upcoming scoping meetings in order to ensure that these projects are developed responsibly. As the renewable energy market matures, public input is more important than ever for shaping a clean energy future on public lands. Those interested in submitting comments or attending scoping meetings should visit the official PEIS website for further information. Through collaboration of government officials, industry leaders and environmentalists, we can create an efficient solar infrastructure while protecting resources from conflict. This will lead to a brighter future with sustainable power sources across the West.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is taking action to guide the development of solar energy on public lands. An updated Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) will be created, as well as reviews being conducted for three proposed solar projects in Arizona that could add 1 GW of capacity to the grid. This update to the decade-old process may include more states and new or expanded areas for prioritization. The BLM has also announced a 60-day public comment period for the notice, along with updated guidance for improving consistency in processing rights-of-way for utility-scale solar projects.
Initial reviews are also planned for new solar projects proposed on public lands in Arizona, such as the 600 MW Jove project and the 250 MW Pinyon and 300 MW Elisabeth projects. Currently, the BLM is processing 65 clean energy projects proposed on public lands, including solar, wind and geothermal initiatives. These have the potential to add a combined 31,000 MW of capacity to the western electric grid. In addition, over 100 applications for solar and wind development are undergoing preliminary review as well as nearly 50 for testing purposes.
The BLM is committed to responsibly managing renewable energy development in order to bring clean energy sources to the region. The updated Solar PEIS will help guide this process, ensuring that areas with high solar potential are identified while protecting resources from conflicts. Hopefully, these efforts will pave the way for an even brighter future with sustainable power sources across the West.
The BLM will continue to conduct reviews and plan upcoming scoping meetings in order to ensure that these projects are developed responsibly. As the renewable energy market matures, public input is more important than ever for shaping a clean energy future on public lands. Those interested in submitting comments or attending scoping meetings should visit the official PEIS website for further information. Through collaboration of government officials, industry leaders and environmentalists, we can create an efficient solar infrastructure while protecting resources from conflict. This will lead to a brighter future with sustainable power sources across the West.