The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced plans to open over 31 million acres of public land to solar development across 11 states in the American West.
The updated Western Solar Plan builds on the original from 2012, with a focus on increasing the number of permits issued for solar projects on American public land. The federal agency claims this update was needed in light of modern demands for more renewable energy.
Steve Feldgus, the principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, says the updated plan will ensure that “permitting for solar projects moves faster and more efficiently.”
The updated plan purports to shift focus toward solar development on already disturbed land, away from protected lands, sensitive cultural resources, and important wildlife habitats.
In January, the BLM announced an additional five new states added to the Western Solar Plan: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. States already included were Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, for a total of 11.
Nine solar development projects were greenlit by the BLM in July, with a total capacity of more than 6.2 gigawatts. The largest is the Esmeralda 7 solar and battery energy storage system in Nevada.
