Let's Be "Smart From the Start" With Solar, Wind on Public Lands
Posted: 10/30/2013 1:31 pm
America's Western public lands are home to some of the best hunting, fishing and wildlife habitat in the world. They're part of what define America's outdoor heritage and fuel our outdoor recreation economy, responsible for about 6.1 million jobs and $646 billion in spending yearly. These same lands, however, also provide some of the best wind and solar resources our county has to offer.
They're part of what define America's outdoor heritage and fuel our outdoor recreation economy, responsible for about 6.1 million jobs and $646 billion in spending yearly. These same lands, however, also provide some of the best wind and solar resources our county has to offer.
They're part of what define America's outdoor heritage and fuel our outdoor recreation economy, responsible for about 6.1 million jobs and $646 billion in spending yearly. These same lands, however, also provide some of the best wind and solar resources our county has to offer.
Because of these resources, it makes sense that public lands play a leading role in President Obama's climate plan. Significant progress has already been made with permitting large-scale wind and solar projects. The steps the Department of the Interior has taken to preserve valuable fish and wildlife habitat as it plans for this increased renewable energy development should be commended. With public input, The Department of the Interior has identified low-conflict, potentially highly productive places for large-scale solar projects to be built. The department designated 19 solar-energy zones to avoid critical wildlife habitat, recreation areas and environmentally sensitive areas. The plan is a model for being "smart from the start" about renewable energy development on our public lands.
Last week, the Bureau of Land Management held the first of what will likely be many competitive auctions for solar development in a solar-energy zone in southern Colorado. No bids were offered, highlighting the complex economics of solar development are complicated. BLM officials said five companies had previously expressed interest in the site. The agency expressed confidence in the blueprint for development approved by the Department of the Interior in 2012.
However, the auction does the underscore the need for additional tools to ensure the success of responsible renewable energy development on our public lands.
Key among them are bipartisan efforts under way in Congress to ensure that revenues collected from renewable energy developers are reinvested in local communities,
