If this is what they call "fast-track" -- I'd hate to see the 'slow one'. The Climate Clock is ticking people.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BLM Southern Nevada -- Release Date: 12/08/14
BLM Reaches Major Permitting Milestone for First Projects under Western Solar Plan
Las Vegas – As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan and the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Western Solar Plan, the BLM is releasing three Environmental Assessments analyzing impacts for three proposed utility-scale solar energy projects in the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone in Clark County, Nevada. Following public comment, the BLM will proceed with final consideration of the projects.
The projects, which propose to generate a combined total of 480 megawatts of electricity on 3,083 acres within the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone, are the first to reach this stage of permitting under the Western Solar Plan. The reviews were completed in less than six months, compared to reviews under the previous project-by-project system that took on average 18 to 24 months to complete. These expedited reviews benefit from the upfront participation and conflict avoidance achieved by the Western Solar Plan. The reviews also include consideration of the first offsite mitigation requirements for Solar Energy Zone projects.
[...]
The Environmental Assessments will be open for public comment through January 8, 2015.
The 'Public Comment Period' on this Land Use proposal has already closed. That
was FAST (30 Days). Don't blink, or you'll miss the next one too.
BLM hits solar energy milestone
Public lands energy projects could generate 14,000 megawatts when completed
by Bob Berwyn, summitcountyvoice.com -- Jan 10, 2015
[...]
Last month, the Department of Interior released environmental studies for three proposed utility-scale solar energy projects in the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone in Clark County, Nevada that could generate 480 megawatts of electricity on 3,083 acres within the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone.
[...]
These expedited reviews benefit from the upfront participation and conflict avoidance achieved by the Western Solar Plan. The reviews also include consideration of the first offsite mitigation requirements for Solar Energy Zone projects.
The BLM’s new landscape approach to planning renewable energy projects uses a strategic and landscape-level perspective, where mitigation can be identified through regional strategies and land use planning. This strategy places primary focus on avoidance of resource conflicts because avoiding sensitive areas allows for a more efficient and predictable permitting process.
[...]
Dry Lake
Solar Energy Program -- Western Solar Plan
Bureau of Land Management, blmsolar.anl.gov
The Dry Lake solar energy zone (SEZ) is located in Nevada in Dry Lake Valley in a semiarid basin with undeveloped scrubland. The SEZ is located on BLM-administered land within the Southern Nevada District.
[...]
The Dry Lake SEZ is located in Clark County in southern Nevada, in an undeveloped rural area in Dry Lake Valley, bounded on the west by Arrow Canyon Range and on the southeast by Dry Lake Range. In 2008, the population of Clark County was 1,879,093. The towns of Moapa and Overton are as close as about 23 mi (37 km) northeast and 26 mi (42 km) northeast of the SEZ, respectively.
[...]
Physical Characteristics
The land within the Dry Lake SEZ is undeveloped scrubland, characteristic of a semiarid basin. Vegetation within the SEZ is predominantly creosotebush and other low shrubs.
Lands within and near the SEZ contain multiple transmission lines and related facilities, several power plants and other industrial facilities, mining operations, I-40, other roads, and a railroad. In addition, there is debris scattered throughout the SEZ.
Public lands that even Clive Bundy wouldn't touch ... might as well put them to
general welfare "public use."
Identification Protocol for New or Expanded SEZs
Solar Energy Program -- Western Solar Plan
Bureau of Land Management, blmsolar.anl.gov
[...]
The BLM will identify new or expanded solar energy zones (SEZs) in the context of existing solar market conditions, existing and planned transmission systems, and new (or existing) State or Federal policies affecting the level and location of utility-scale solar energy development. The BLM will assess the need for new or expanded SEZs at least once every 5 years in each of the six states covered by the Solar PEIS [Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah].
The process to identify new or expanded SEZs will be open and transparent, with opportunities for substantial involvement of multiple stakeholders. [...]
Steps in SEZ Assessment Process
The BLM will use the following criteria when considering whether to identify new or expanded SEZs. In most situations, SEZs should be:
• Relatively large areas that provide highly suitable locations for utility-scale solar energy development,
• Locations where solar energy development is economically and technically feasible,
• Locations where there is good potential for connecting new electricity-generating plants to the transmission distribution system, and
• Locations where there is generally low resource conflict.
[...]
Solar Energy Program
Solar Energy Program -- Western Solar Plan
Bureau of Land Management, blmsolar.anl.gov
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) created a Solar Energy Program for utility-scale solar energy development on BLM administered lands in six southwestern states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. As applicable to the Solar Energy Program, utility-scale projects are those with capacities of 20 megawatts (MW) or greater that generate electricity that is delivered into the transmission grid.
A number of Executive Orders (E.O.s), Congressional mandates, and Federal agency orders and policies promote expedited and concentrated Federal action to support the development of domestic renewable energy resources. The BLM is taking actions in support of U.S. renewable energy goals and objectives for solar energy development as described in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Solar Energy Development in Six Southwestern States (PEIS) and the Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments/Record of Decision (ROD) for Solar Development in Six Southwestern States.
[...]
As part of the Solar Energy Program, the BLM has categorized lands that are excluded from utility-scale solar energy development (about 79 million acres [319,702 km2]) and has identified specific locations that are well suited for utility-scale production of solar energy (solar energy zones, or SEZs) where the BLM proposes to prioritize development (about 285,000 acres [1,553 km2]). The program emphasizes and incentivizes development within SEZs and outlines a collaborative process for identifying additional SEZs.
[...]
Solar Energy Zones [SEZ]
blmsolar.anl.gov
[...]
The map below shows the locations of the BLM's 19 SEZs.
The BLM will identify new SEZs in the future in accordance with the Identification Protocol for New or Expanded SEZs.
It's Projects like these, that will ultimately replace "dinosaur projects"
like Keystone XL -- assuming such a thing is even possible anymore, in today's
cut-to-the-expediency-chase world ...
It would seem if we can't pump it, pipe it, or profit from it -- then a lot of people don't want it.
That 'privateering' sentiment has got to change ... if future generations are to have any viable opportunities at all.
You know, "Will our kids have it better, than we have?" ...
That used to be the "standard." It needs to become so again.