Biden–Harris Administration Advances Clean Energy Projects on Western Public Lands with Potential to Power Nearly 2 Million Homes

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Photo voltaic progress in Arizona and Nevada advances President Biden’s clear power targets and continues monitor document of environment friendly, accountable allowing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Division of the Inside right now introduced that the Bureau of Land Administration (BLM) is advancing 9 photo voltaic tasks on public lands that might doubtlessly energy almost 2 million houses with clear power. The tasks will assist President Biden’s objective of making a carbon pollution-free energy sector by 2035.

At the moment’s actions comply with the Division’s April announcement that the BLM has permitted greater than 25 gigawatts of unpolluted power tasks — surpassing a serious milestone forward of 2025 — sufficient clear power to energy greater than 12 million houses throughout the nation. This consists of photo voltaic, wind and geothermal tasks, in addition to gen-tie traces on public lands which can be important for connecting clear electrical energy tasks on each federal and non-federal land to the grid.

“The Interior Department is playing a pivotal role in helping tackle the climate crisis, boost the clean energy economy and provide communities across the nation with clean, reliable energy,” mentioned Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Administration Dr. Steve Feldgus. “With today’s advancement of nine solar energy projects on public lands, we are taking a significant step towards these efforts and President Biden’s ambitious clean energy goals.”

“The Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to sustainable development means that we are protecting our natural and cultural resources while moving quickly towards our nation’s clean energy goals,” mentioned BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “As we proceed to evaluate clear power tasks, we’re dedicated to collaborating with states, Tribes and stakeholders to make sure that we’re constructing lasting alternatives to create jobs and stimulate the clear power economic system.

Progress on Esmeralda 7 Photo voltaic Challenge

Key to the progress introduced right now is Esmeralda 7, which encompasses seven proposed utility scale photo voltaic amenities with battery power storage methods on roughly 118,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands close to Tonopah, Nevada. The BLM is opening a 45-day public comment period on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impression Assertion and Useful resource Administration Plan Modification for Esmeralda 7. The BLM’s programmatic environmental affect assertion would supply the inspiration for particular person environmental analyses of every mission, after which the BLM would resolve whether or not to grant rights-of-way for some or the entire tasks. If all of the proposed tasks are authorised, they’d have the capability to generate 5.35 gigawatts of unpolluted electrical energy — sufficient to energy roughly 1.6 million houses.

Progress on Libra Photo voltaic

The BLM additionally printed the ultimate environmental affect assertion for the proposed 5,100-acre Libra Photo voltaic Challenge in Mineral and Lyon Counties, Nevada. If authorised, Libra Photo voltaic would come with a 700 megawatt (MW) photo voltaic power facility, a 700 MW battery power storage system, and a 24-mile-long era tie-line. The mission would generate and retailer sufficient clear power to energy greater than 212,000 houses. The environmental affect assertion for the Libra Photo voltaic Challenge was initiated with a discover of intent on April 24, 2023. The assertion and related paperwork can be found for inspection on the mission’s web site on BLM’s National NEPA Register.

Progress on Elisabeth Photo voltaic

The BLM can also be opening a 30-day public remark interval on a draft environmental assessment for the Elisabeth Photo voltaic Challenge close to Dateland, Arizona, positioned on 1,400 acres roughly 65 miles east of the Metropolis of Yuma inside the Solar Energy Zone Hot Water. If authorised, the mission would produce as much as 270 MW of unpolluted electrical energy and as much as 300 MW of battery storage.

As of July 2024, an extra 70 utility-scale clear power tasks are in course of by the BLM all through the Western United States. These tasks have the potential to provide virtually 32 gigawatts of renewable power. As well as, BLM has begun the preliminary evaluate of roughly 166 functions for photo voltaic and wind growth, in addition to greater than 40 functions for photo voltaic and wind power website testing.

Courtesy of U.S. Department of Interior.