The Bureau of Land Management reversed its decision last month that had stopped new solar developments on public land for two years years.
Instead, the BLM has decided to process applications simultaneous with environmental consultations. The reversal was caused by pressure from Congress (for example, Rep. Mark Udall of Colorado), public opinion, and the solar industry, which is at a critical point in its development.
– Kari M.
Previous in TP Climate Progress
Let the flip flopping begin! If it takes a few flips and flops to make tasty pancakes it only makes sense for our elected officials to have get on both sides of the issue until it looks good to them.
Going back on what it wanted to do so quickly shows that there wasn’t much of a reason for the moratorium other than it could.
Let’s hope the environmental studies doesn’t turn up anything either.
Probably not much will happen. Most of this land is far big cities. Only viable projects will those close to existing transmission lines.
The handwriting has been on the wall since 2005, that solar projects would be blossoming on BLM land. Why, the BLM could not respond to the evident uptick in applications is mind-boggling. Now they say the process will continue, but at what pace?
Mauri:
As I noted in the earlier thread, at least from my modest experience in working for the Dept of Interior a long time ago, departmental budgets and staff levels don’t change quickly, unless someone much higher makes it a priority and allocates money and headcount, which in this case seems unlikely.
Again, I have no inside info, but I think we need to be careful who to complain about. If the BLM actually needs more budget and staffing, we should be trying to help them get it.
Great news. So long as there are no subsidies on top of the free land use and a general tax exemption. Great opportunities in desert areas within that natural solar area that pickens was talking about.
Outside of these areas I would have thought solar tiling, road solarization and the solarization of the general built environment would be where its at. You wouldn’t want to use non-desert land for this. Since if you are going to go to that sort of expense you may as well irrigate and reclaim the land for agriculture.