2 weeks Ago By John Haughey
The Biden administration has proposed opening 31 million acres of federal public lands across 11 states to solar energy development, dramatically expanding the growing industry’s footprint while streamlining permitting and regulatory requirements. The proposed final plan is one of six the agency reviewed. Its draft was opened for public comment in January 2024.
After being posted in the Federal Register, it can be implemented after a 30-day protest period and a 60-day “consistency review” by the 11 affected states’ governors’ offices. The proposed Western Solar Plan updates BLM’s 2012 solar regulatory guidelines and adds five states to the six where BLM had opened nearly 20 million acres to potential solar development. Less than 900,000 acres are now being used by solar energy developers.
The BLM regulates land use on more than 245 million surface acres of federal public lands and 700 million acres of “subsurface mineral estate” primarily across 12 western states. The agency manages more than 10 percent of the nation’s entire land mass. The proposed plan selected 31 million acres for solar development out of 162 million acres it reviewed.
A key consideration is development can occur only on sites within 15 miles of existing or planned electricity transmission lines on lands categorized as “previously disturbed.” The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), which represents the nation’s $60 billion solar energy industry, applauded the addition of 11 million acres and five states to solar development. Noting the plan is “a step in the right direction,” Norris said solar energy developers still won’t have access to the 80 million acres of federal public lands available for oil and gas development.
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