PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management today announced the Desert Quartzite Solar facility, located near Blythe in eastern Riverside County, is now fully operational and producing clean energy to power up to 120,000 homes. The 300 megawatt (MW) solar facility also has 150 MW of battery storage, increasing reliability and availability of clean energy on the state grid.

“The Desert Quartzite solar facility will deliver a combined total of 450 MW of renewable energy and battery storage to the southern California grid, marking another significant milestone in the BLM’s commitment to renewable energy development,” said California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch.

EDF Renewables acquired the Desert Quartzite Solar project in 2022 and modified it for a more efficient layout and increased solar energy generation. Additional information about the project is available at the BLM National NEPA Register.

Since January 2021, BLM has approved 45 renewable energy projects on public lands (11 solar, 14 geothermal, 2 wind, and 18 gen-ties) and exceeded the goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025. Overall, BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of more than 33 gigawatts – enough to power more than 15 million homes. This year BLM also issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, create jobs, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. –  The Bureau of Land Management today approved the Easley Solar project proposed on approximately 2,700 acres of BLM-managed public lands and 990 acres of private lands in Riverside County. The project is expected to generate up to 390 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy and 650 megawatts of battery storage capacity, delivering reliable clean energy to the statewide transmission grid. The project will add nearly $305 million in infrastructure investment to the community and create 530 construction jobs followed by 10 operational positions once construction is complete.

BLM’s approval authorizes Easley Solar, LLC a right-of-way to construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a photovoltaic solar facility, battery storage, and a 7.5-mile 500-kilovolt generation-tie (gen-tie) line. Power generated by the project would be transmitted to the Southern California Edison Red Bluff Substation.

“Approving Easley Solar represents another significant step demonstrating BLM’s commitment to renewable energy development,” said California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch

The Easley Solar Project will be constructed on lands designated as a Development Focus Area in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, a landscape-level plan that streamlines renewable energy development while conserving unique and valuable desert ecosystems and providing outdoor recreation opportunities.

The Biden-Harris administration has approved 42 renewable energy projects on public lands (10 solar, 14 geothermal, and 18 gen-ties) and exceeded the goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025. The BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of more than 32 gigawatts of power – enough to power more than 15 million homes. This year BLM also issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.

The Decision Record, Finding of No New Significant Impacts, Environmental Assessment, and associated documents are available on the BLM National NEPA Register.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. –  The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on the draft environmental assessment for the proposed Easley Solar project in Riverside County. If approved, the project could generate up to 400 megawatts of solar energy and 650 megawatts of battery storage capacity, delivering clean renewable electricity to the statewide transmission grid. The comment period will close September 20.

IP Easley, a subsidiary of Intersect Power LLC, proposes to construct, operate, maintain, and eventually decommission the Easley Renewable Energy project on approximately 2,700 acres of BLM-managed public lands and 990 acres of private lands.

The proposed project aligns with President Biden’s goal of a carbon free electricity sector by 2035 that creates good-paying jobs while ensuring that consumers across the country have access to affordable, reliable electric power.

The BLM will hold a virtual meeting on Tues., Sept. 10, from 5-6 p.m. Please register to attend virtually. A separate in-person public meeting will be held on Wed., Sept. 11, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. at the Palm Springs Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262.

“The public comment period is an essential step in the environmental analysis process,” said California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch. “Public participation helps BLM identify issues and concerns to address in the environmental assessment. We highly encourage the public to share their perspectives about the proposed project.”

Written comments may be submitted through the “Participate Now” function on the BLM National NEPA Register (preferred), emailed to blm_ca_cdd_easley_solar@blm.gov, or delivered to the Palm Springs – South Coast Field Office at 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

The proposed Easley Solar Project would be constructed on BLM land designated as a development focus area in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, a landscape-level plan that streamlines renewable energy development while conserving unique and valuable desert ecosystems and providing outdoor recreation opportunities. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan is focused on 10.8 million acres of public lands in the desert regions of seven California counties – Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.

Recently, the Department of the Interior announced that BLM had achieved the major milestone of permitting 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects, including solar, wind, geothermal, and gen-ties (transmission lines that cross public lands to connect renewable energy projects on private lands to the grid). BLM currently has 60 proposed renewable energy projects on public lands in the western United States, which have the combined potential to add more than 21,800 megawatts of renewable energy to the western electric grid.

BLM manages vast stretches of public lands with the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio and provides sites for environmentally sound renewable energy projects. Efficient deployment of renewable energy from our nation’s public lands is crucial in achieving the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.

For additional information on the Easley Solar project, please contact the Tammy Faust, project manager at 505-427-6759.

WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced its proposed roadmap for solar energy development on public lands, designed to expand efficient and environmentally responsible solar project permitting on public lands across the West. Today’s release of the Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments (also known as the proposed updated Western Solar Plan), comes as the Biden-Harris administration releases new data to demonstrate how it has improved federal permitting processes to help deliver more projects, more efficiently, across the United States.

The proposed Western Solar Plan builds on President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is working to transition the nation to clean energy, lower energy costs for consumers, create good-paying union jobs, tackle the climate crisis, and advance clean air and environmental justice priorities, with the goal of achieving a 100-percent clean electricity grid by 2035. Earlier this year, BLM surpassed the goal of permitting more than 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects on public lands, and the updated Western Solar Plan will support continued progress on responsible permitting. 

“The updated Western Solar Plan will help build modern, resilient energy infrastructure that creates a strong clean energy economy and protects our communities from the worsening impacts of climate change,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Dr. Steve Feldgus. “Through extensive planning and collaboration, we’re not only protecting our public lands but also ensuring that permitting for solar projects moves faster and more efficiently, avoiding conflicts and striking the right balance as we advance clean energy and safeguard the environment.”

Developed with substantial public input, the proposed updated Western Solar Plan will guide BLM’s management of solar energy proposals and projects on public lands. It would make over 31 million acres of public lands across 11 western states available for potential solar development, driving development closer to transmission lines or on previously disturbed lands and avoiding protected lands, sensitive cultural resources and important wildlife habitat.

Steering project proposals away from areas where they may conflict with other resources or uses will help ensure responsible development, speed the permitting process, and provide greater predictability to the solar energy industry. The plan updates and expands the original 2012 Western Solar Plan in order to reflect changes in technology and meet the higher demand for solar energy development. This plan analyzes five additional western states (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming), in addition to the six states analyzed in the original plan.

“The updated Western Solar Plan is a responsible, pragmatic strategy for developing solar energy on our nation’s public lands that supports national clean energy goals and long-term national energy security,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “It will drive responsible solar development to locations with fewer potential conflicts while helping the nation transition to a clean energy economy, furthering the BLM’s mission to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” 

No solar developments are authorized through this planning effort; proposed projects will still undergo site-specific environmental review and public comment. This Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement follows a draft published in January 2024 for public comment, with input from a wide range of stakeholders helping BLM to make additional updates that will help protect wildlife habitats and migration corridors and other key resources, while providing clarity to industry about low-conflict areas and project design approaches to guide responsible development.

To date, the Biden-Harris administration has approved 40 renewable energy projects on public lands (9 solar, 13 geothermal, and 18 gen-ties) allowing for early achievement of the goal to permit 25 gigawatts by 2025. In total, BLM has now permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of approximately 29 gigawatts of power – enough to power over 12 million homes. This year BLM also issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.

Publication of the Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments initiates a 30-day protest period and 60-day governor’s consistency review. Following resolution of any remaining issues identified in this phase, the BLM will publish the Record of Decision and Final Resource Management Plan Amendments.

For more information on the updated Western Solar Plan, visit the project’s National NEPA Project Register (ePlanning) website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022371/510.

RIDGECREST, Calif. – Today, the Bureau of Land Management issued a Notice to Proceed authorizing Avangrid to begin construction of the Camino Solar Project, a 44-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility that will be located on 233 acres of public lands and 150 acres of adjoining private land in Kern County.

“The Camino Solar Project will expand access to clean energy for Californians and increase reliability for the state’s power grid,” said BLM California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch. “Projects like this one support the nation’s transition to a clean energy economy by adding more carbon-free electricity to the grid, creating jobs, and boosting local economies.”

The project is expected to employ 150 people during peak construction, include a 34.5-kV underground electrical collector line, and connect to the existing Southern California Edison Whirlwind Substation through the Manzana Wind Substation and associated 220 kV generation-tie line.

The project is in an area scientifically analyzed and identified as suitable for clean energy development as part of the BLM’s Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The plan focuses on 10.8 million acres of public lands in the desert regions of seven California counties to streamline renewable energy development, while conserving unique and valuable desert ecosystems and providing outdoor recreation opportunities.

Additional information, including National Environmental Policy Act documents, are available on the BLM National NEPA Register.

The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands that have the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. To promote the development of these energy sources, the BLM provides sites for environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public lands. The efficient deployment of renewable energy from our nation’s public lands is crucial in achieving the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, as well as Congress’ direction in the Energy Act of 2020 to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025. 

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced an updated roadmap for solar energy development across the West, designed to expand solar energy production in more Western states and make renewable energy siting and permitting on America’s public lands more efficient. The Bureau of Land Management also announced the next steps on several renewable projects in Arizona, California and Nevada, representing more than 1,700 megawatts of potential solar generation and 1,300 megawatts of potential battery storage capacity. 

Together, these milestones represent continued momentum from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – a key pillar of Bidenomics – which is working to accelerate the clean energy and transmission buildout to lower consumers’ energy costs, prevent power outages in the face of extreme weather, create good-paying union jobs, tackle the climate crisis, advance the priorities of clean air and environmental justice for all, and achieve the President’s goal of a 100 percent clean electricity grid by 2035. During the Biden-Harris administration, the BLM has approved 47 clean energy projects and permitted 11,236 megawatts of wind, solar and geothermal energy on public lands – enough to power more than 3.5 million homes. 

“The Interior Department’s work to responsibly and quickly develop renewable energy projects is crucial to achieving the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 – and this updated solar roadmap will help us get there in more states and on more lands across the West,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis. “Through historic investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Interior Department is helping build modern, resilient climate infrastructure that protects our communities from the worsening impacts of climate change.” 

“Our public lands are playing a critical role in the clean energy transition – and the progress the Bureau of Land Management is announcing today on several clean energy projects across the West represents our continued momentum in achieving those goals,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “Investing in clean and reliable renewable energy represents the BLM’s commitment to building a clean energy economy, tackling the climate crisis, promoting American energy security, and creating jobs in communities across the country.” 

Updated Roadmap for Solar Energy Development on Public Lands 

The Department today published a draft analysis of the Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (known as the updated Western Solar Plan), which would streamline the BLM’s framework for siting solar energy projects in order to support current and future national clean energy goals, long-term energy security, climate resilience, and improved conservation outcomes. 

The proposal is an update of BLM’s 2012 Western Solar Plan, which identified areas in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah with high solar potential and low resource conflicts in order to guide responsible solar development and provide certainty to developers. Following months of stakeholder engagements – including 15 public scoping meetings – the updated roadmap refines the analysis in the original six states and expands it to include Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. 

In considering updates to the Western Solar Plan, the BLM worked closely with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory to examine forecasts for national clean energy needs and determined that approximately 700,000 acres of public lands would be needed to meet those goals. The BLM’s preferred alternative in the updated Western Solar Plan would provide approximately 22 million acres of land open for solar application, giving maximum flexibility to reach the nation’s clean energy goals.  

By directing development to areas that have fewer sensitive resources, less conflict with other uses of public lands, and close proximity to transmission lines, the BLM can permit clean energy more efficiently while maintaining robust public and Tribal engagement, which are central features of all BLM reviews of individual projects. 

BLM utilized $4.3 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in these important updates to the Western Solar Plan. This investment is helping improve the solar development application process by providing developers with better predictability, while also maintaining sufficient flexibility to address site-specific resource considerations. This planning work also seeks to provide updates that respond to changes, like advances in technology, that have occurred since the BLM’s last programmatic solar development planning effort over a decade ago. 

The analysis announced today evaluates six alternatives, each proposing to make different amounts of public land available to solar development applications under different criteria such as proximity to transmission infrastructure, designated critical habitat, or other important ecological and cultural resources. Public input will inform a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision. The public can submit written comments through April 18, 2024. More details are available on BLM’s Solar Program website. 

Continued Progress on Onshore Renewable Energy Development 

The BLM today also announced next steps on several onshore renewable projects throughout the West, representing significant progress on projects that will help achieve the President’s goal of a 100 percent clean electricity grid by 2035. 

In Nevada, the BLM is advancing four proposed solar projects: 

• The BLM released a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Libra Solar Project in Mineral and Lyon counties, which, if approved, will generate and store up to 700 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy that would power approximately 212,233 homes.  
• The BLM released a draft environmental impact statement for the Rough Hat Clark County Solar Project, which, if approved, will add 400 megawatts of clean solar photovoltaic power to the grid, enough to power approximately 121,276 homes. The proposed project would also include a 700-megawatt battery energy storage system.  
• The BLM announced a Notice of Intent for the Dodge Flat II Solar project in Nevada, which, if approved, will generate up to 200 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy on approximately 700 acres of public lands in Washoe county. This would be enough to power approximately 60,638 homes.  
• The BLM released the draft environmental assessment for the Dry Lake East Energy Center Solar Project, which would build a 200 MW photovoltaic solar facility with 200 MW of battery energy storage and an additional 400 MW battery energy storage facility. 

In California, the BLM will release in the coming days a Notice to Proceed for the Camino Solar Project in Kern County, allowing construction to begin on a 44-megawatt photovoltaic solar facility on 233 acres of public land that will power approximately 13,340 homes.  

In Arizona, the BLM today announced that construction of the White Wing Ranch Solar Project has been completed. White Wing Ranch is a 179-megawatt solar photovoltaic project located on private lands in Yuma County with a generation interconnection (gen-tie) line across approximately 3.5 miles of BLM administered land. This project has the potential to power 54,271 homes.  

The BLM also announced that construction on the Harquahala Valley (HV) Sunrise gen-tie line in Arizona will begin in February. It will connect the HV Sun solar project, which is a 150-megawatt solar photovoltaic project located on 1,000 acres of private lands in Maricopa County, with a gen-tie transmission line across approximately 1.1 miles of BLM administered land. This project will power approximately 45,479 homes. 

The BLM is currently processing 67 utility-scale onshore clean energy projects proposed on public lands in the western United States. This includes solar, wind, and geothermal projects, as well as gen-tie lines that are vital to clean energy projects proposed on non-federal land. These projects have the combined potential to add more than 37 gigawatts of renewable energy to the western electric grid. The BLM is also undertaking the preliminary review of over 195 applications for solar and wind development, as well as 97 applications for solar and wind energy site area testing. 

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management today opened a 30-day public

comment period to gather input for an environmental assessment for the proposed Easley Solar project in Riverside County. The comment period closes Oct. 15, 2023.

The BLM plans to hold an in-person public meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at UCR Palm Desert, Room: B114-117 located at 75080 Frank Sinatra Dr., in Palm Desert, CA 92211, please register HERE to attend virtually.

 IP Easley, a subsidiary of Intersect Power LLC, proposes to construct, operate, maintain, and eventually decommission the Easley Renewable Energy Project on approximately 2,700 acres of BLM-managed public lands and 990 acres of private lands north of Desert Center on I-10. If approved, the project could generate and store up to 400 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy and deliver renewable electricity to the statewide transmission grid.

“The BLM has a vital role in meeting the Nation’s energy needs through the responsible development of renewable energy resources on public lands,” said BLM California State Director Karen Mouritsen. “We are committed to conducting a thorough science-based review of the proposed Easley Solar project and value public input.”  

The proposed Easley Solar Project would be constructed on Development Focus Area-designated lands in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, a landscape-level plan that streamlines renewable energy development, while conserving unique and valuable desert ecosystems and providing outdoor recreation opportunities. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan is focused on 10.8 million acres of public lands in the desert regions of seven California counties – Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.

Written comments may be submitted through the “Participate Now” function on the BLM National NEPA Register (preferred), emailed to blm_ca_cdd_easley_solar@blm.gov, or mailed/hand delivered to the Palm Springs – South Coast Field Office at 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262.

For additional information, please contact the Tammy Faust, Project Manager, at 505-427-6759.

The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands that have the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. To promote the development of these energy sources, the BLM provides sites for environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public lands. The efficient deployment of renewable energy from our nation’s public lands is crucial in achieving the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, as well as Congress’ direction in the Energy Act of 2020 to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A new project on federal public lands is now delivering enough clean energy to power over 207,000 southern California homes a year. During remarks at the Western Governors Association Winter Meeting Nov. 6, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the Oberon Solar Project, a 500-megawatt photovoltaic facility near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County, is fully operational. The project includes up to 250 megawatts of battery storage.

“The completion of the Oberon Solar Project underscores the Bureau of Land Management’s commitment to responsible energy development in pursuit of a carbon free power sector,” said BLM California State Director Karen Mouritsen. “This project is another example of the Bureau’s steadfast commitment to the furtherance of renewable energy and prioritizing a healthier planet.”

The project is sited on roughly 2,600 acres of BLM-managed public lands in an area scientifically analyzed and identified as suitable for clean energy development as part of the BLM’s Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The plan focuses on 10.8 million acres of public lands in the desert regions of seven California counties to streamline renewable energy development, while conserving unique and valuable desert ecosystems and providing outdoor recreation opportunities.

In 2022, the BLM authorized Oberon Solar LLC to construct the solar photovoltaic facility and an approximately 0.5-mile single circuit 500-kilovolt generation interconnection transmission line to deliver power through the Southern California Edison Red Bluff Substation. The system will generate 500 megawatts of electricity daily to include 250 megawatts of battery storage available for delivery as needed by the California Independent System Operator.

Additional information, including National Environmental Policy Act documents, are available at the BLM National NEPA Register.