Posted on 08/30/2024 1:16:53 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
The Bureau of Land Management has published details of a plan to make millions of acres of public lands across the western U.S. available for development of solar power.
The Western Solar Plan, which revises guidelines from more than a decade ago, was published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2024. The BLM said the plan would make 31 million acres of public lands (that is 48,437 square miles!) available for potential solar energy development.
The new proposal seeks to bring solar projects to 11 states. The plan would place development closer to existing or planned power transmission lines, and also looks at siting projects near land that has been previously accessed.
The updated proposal published Friday adds five states—Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming—to an original six where land has been considered for development. The original states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
“The updated Western Solar Plan is a responsible, pragmatic strategy for developing solar energy on our nation’s public lands that supports national clean energy goals and long-term national energy security,” BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said in a statement.
Ben Norris, VP of regulatory affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association said, “The Bureau of Land Management opened 31 million acres of federal lands to renewable energy development, accepting many of SEIA’s recommendations to strike a better balance between its conservation and clean energy deployment goals. For over 12 years SEIA has advocated for leveling the playing field for renewables and increasing public land access for solar and storage development. While we’re still reviewing the details, we’re pleased to see that BLM listened to much of the solar industry’s feedback … fossil fuels have access to over 80 million acres of public land, 2.5 times the amount of public land available for solar.”
(Excerpt) Read more at powermag.com ...
Soon you won't be able to fly over western states without extreme glint, glare and reflections from miles and miles of solar cells.
I'm curious about who they are going to hire to go sweep the snow off those tens of thousands of square miles of panels. Who are they going to hire to wash the dust off? Where is the water going to come from to wash them down?
What a waste.
Drill, Baby, Drill..............
Solar Power takes taxpayer money to EXIST.
This is a very bad idea.
I suggest covering every square inch of Washington DC with solar panels INCLUDING ALL mansions owned by DEMOCRATS!!!
These Stupid Bass Turds want Solar so bad, then make THEM be the first in line to donate space.
For comparison, Mississippi is 48,434 square miles.
Uhm - it’s a land grab. Just like Utah under the Clintons.
48,437 square miles
220 x 220
Great Idea. Let’s just buy our electricity from china.
Please stop asking hard questions. ;-)
So it’s a giveaway of public lands to their business cronies and they just decided to do this on their own?
Where do they get the authority?
There are already miles and miles of solar panels out west.
So they’re already dealing with that issue now.
solar panels will not work for that area.
they’re primarily for the southwest in the deserts.
What about the environmental impact of covering millions of acres of land (native habitat) with solar panels?
say good bye to grazing permits for soon to be bankrupt ranchers and to beef.
That will be the end of all the humpback tortoises, fringe-nosed owls and fresh water sardines.
The ecological domino effect will have catastrophic consequences that will echo through the ages.
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