BLM rules for solar and wind projects
December 30th, 2011
The Bureau of Land Management has issued Advance Notice of Rulemaking for solar and wind projects on federal land.
Here’s the Notice:
Send Comments by February 27, 2012:
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Mail: Director (630) Bureau of Land Management U.S. Department of the Interior Room 2134LM 1849 C St. NW.
Washington, DC 20240 Attention:
1004–AE24 Personal or messenger delivery: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management 20 M Street SE., Room 2134LM, Attention: Regulatory Affairs Washington, DC 20003
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov Follow the instructions at this Web site.
Here’s an article from Bloomberg about it:
U.S. Proposed wind, Solar Leasing Rule on Federally Owned Land
By Benjamin Haas – Dec 29, 2011 3:14 PM CT
The U.S. Interior Department is seeking comment on how it should issue right-of-way leases for competing solar and wind projects on government land.
The department wants to establish a competitive bidding process that would bring “fair market value for the use of public land,” it said in a statement today. The government is considering bidding procedures within zones designated for wind and solar projects, including how companies would qualify and what financial arrangements would apply. A 60-day comment period ends Feb. 27.
These zones may be beneficial to birds, the American Bird Conservancy said in a statement today. “American Bird Conservancy is developing a map of the areas where wind energy would be most risky to birds,” said Kelly Fuller, the organization’s wind-campaign coordinator.
The Department’s Bureau of Land Management oversees 245 million acres (992,000 sq. kilometers) across the U.S, according to the report. It plans to have 10,000 megawatts of wind, solar and geothermal projects approved by 2015.
To contact the reporter on this story: Benjamin Haas in New York at bhaas7@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Susan Warren at susanwarren@bloomberg.net