BLM NEWS RELEASE
The Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Energy will hold 13 public meetings throughout the west, three in Nevada, to gather comment on an environmental analysis that has identified proposed ‘solar energy zones’ on public lands in the west most suitable for environmentally sound, utility-scale solar energy production.
The detailed study, known as the Draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, was compiled over the past two years as part of the Obama administration’s efforts to create a framework for developing renewable energy in the right way and in the right places.
A Notice of Availability for the draft plan was published in the Dec. 17, 2010 Federal Register, opening the 90-day public comment period. All comments related to the draft must be postmarked or delivered by March 17, 2011. The meetings will provide an overview of the document and the NEPA process, and to take public comments.
• Tuesday, Feb. 15, 7:00 p.m., Ramada Las Vegas, 325 East Flamingo
Road, Las Vegas
• Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 7:00 p.m., Esmeralda County School, 270 N.
Euclid Avenue, Goldfield,
• Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7:00 p.m., Caliente Elementary School, 280
Lincoln Street, Caliente
The Draft Solar Energy PEIS document and related maps and information are available online at the project website: http://solareis.anl.gov. Related maps are also available at http://blm.gov/td5c. Comments on the PEIS can be submitted through the project website (preferred method of submission), or written comments can be mailed to: Solar Energy Draft Programmatic EIS, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue – EVS/240, Argonne, IL 60439.
