SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
On Tuesday the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Energy releases its final plan for solar energy development on public lands in the West. The Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement provides a roadmap for large-scale solar energy development on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
Since BLM land accounts for 67 percent of its land mass (nearly 48 million acres), this plan signifies a huge step forward for solar energy development in Nevada and, therefore, the broader state economy.
The two year long process has consistently involved input and collaboration between stakeholders from many different sectors, including solar companies, conservation advocates and utilities. This inclusive, anticipatory process is the key to why the broadly supported plan will enable solar development on public lands to move ahead uninhibited by many of the issues that have previously caused complications.
“Siting and permitting solar projects has been a major hurdle for developers to overcome in order to maintain the costs of a project. This plan removes many of the obstacles that have hindered development in key locations in Nevada.” – Lydia Ball, Executive Director of Clean Energy Project
“This national milestone is a huge boon for Nevada’s clean energy economy. By creating this blue-print plan that streamlines large-scale solar energy development on public lands, the Departments of the Interior and Energy are enabling Nevada to realize its full potential as a solar energy generator and exporter, establishing us as a big player in America’s 21st century economy.” – Timothy Hay, consumer advocate and past president of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
BACKGROUND
The 2011 National Solar Jobs Census found that Nevada is home to 2025 solar industry jobs, ranking the state fourteenth. Click here for BLM information about the Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
