BLM Announces 31 Million Acres of Public Land Ideal for Nature Positive Solar Energy Development
The new Western Solar Plan supports accelerating smart renewable energy siting across the western U.S.
Media Contacts
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Julia Leopold
Associate Director of Communications, North America Renewable Energy Policy
The Nature Conservancy
Email: julia.leopold@tnc.org
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced an update and expansion to its 2012 Western Solar Plan today. Originally only applying to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, the plan has been expanded to include Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
The Western Solar Plan was originally designed to identify public lands that are ideal for building solar energy. It highlights areas where solar energy can be developed with minimal impact on nature and local communities. The new update revises the acreage of suitable lands, clarifies which areas should be off-limits for development and promotes efficient project permitting while upholding community input and commitment to environmental concerns.
The following is a statement by Peter Gower, TNC’s Climate and Renewable Energy Program Director for the Western U.S. and Canada Division:
“The Western Solar Plan represents a much needed broad-scale approach to renewable energy planning. It is important because when land managers account for conservation and community considerations early, solar energy can get built faster, cheaper and with fewer conflicts.
"We need to build almost four times more renewable energy capacity by 2030 to reach U.S. climate goals. Without thoughtful planning, this buildout could affect wildlife, natural areas and local communities. The approach laid out in the Western Solar Plan can significantly reduce those impacts. Developing renewable energy on the areas of public lands with the least conservation value and highest likelihood of project success benefits people across the country. It can help achieve our climate goals while avoiding impacts to the landscapes so many of us care about.
"We are thrilled that BLM continues to support nature and communities by incorporating TNC’s recommendations to plan for new solar development in previously disturbed areas, proactively engage with communities and avoid big game migration corridors in the updated Western Solar Plan. They received 2,026 comments on the draft — a clear mandate that the public wants to see well-planned renewable energy. We look forward to working with partners to continue accelerating renewable energy deployment while benefiting nature and people.”
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 77 countries and territories (41 by direct conservation impact and 36 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.
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