Biden administration releases plan to expand US West solar development

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering making 31 million acres of public lands across the western U.S. available for potential solar energy development, according to a proposal published on Thursday.

The Western Solar Plan, which would significantly revise existing 2012 guidelines, would seek to bring such projects to 11 states — bringing development closer to transmission lines or previously disturbed lands, per the proposal.

“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,” BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said in a statement.

Chief among the changes was the identification of five new states beyond the original six as prime areas for solar energy. In addition to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, the updated version includes Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

After examining six different alternatives, the BLM landed on the option that would enable potential solar development on 31 million out of 162 million available acres of public lands in the region, according to the proposal.

Of those 31 million acres, the lands would be available for use only if they are within 15 miles of an existing or planned high-voltage transmission line or if they have been categorized as “previously disturbed,” the document states.

At the same time, the program would seek to “improve the solar energy project application process” by proactively excluding regions where protections would be necessary and by maintaining some site-specific flexibility.

The proposed strategy, Stone-Manning said, would “drive responsible solar development to locations with fewer potential conflicts while helping the nation transition to a clean energy economy.”

Details of the plan will officially be published in the Federal Register on Friday, in the form of a Final Utility-Scale Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which follows a draft issued for public comment in January 2024.

The draft rendition, the BLM stated, received input from a wide range of stakeholders and helped inform wildlife protection strategies and provide clarity to industry.

The release of Friday’s environmental impact statement will kick off a 30-day protest period and a 60-day consistency review window for the relevant western governors, according to the BLM.

“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,” Steve Feldgus, principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, said in a statement.

Feldgus also emphasized the plan’s focus on “ensuring that permitting for solar projects moves faster and more efficiently,” while preventing conflicts and “striking the right balance.”

The Solar Energy Industries Association applauded the inclusion of “much of the solar industry’s feedback” in the proposal and described the document as “a step in the right direction.”

Nonetheless, the group stressed that “fossil fuels have access to over 80 million acres of public land, 2.5 times the amount of public land available for solar.”

“One of the fastest ways to decarbonize our grid is to greenlight well-planned clean energy development on federal lands, and the improvements to this environmental review document will certainly help,” a statement from the group added.

Justin Meuse, director of government relations for energy and climate at The Wilderness Society, likewise praised the proposal for harnessing a “clean and abundant resource responsibly,” while focusing projects away from sensitive areas.

“The climate crisis is at our doorstep, and we must rapidly transition to a clean energy economy – yesterday,” Meuse added. “Thankfully, our nation’s public lands offer some of the best solar energy resources we’ve got.