Nature is at risk. Join us in safeguarding millions of acres in the U.S. for future generations.
Bureau of Land Management Finalizes Western Solar Plan
Conservation Lands Foundation
|August 30, 2024
CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION APPLAUDS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S FINALIZATION OF THE WESTERN SOLAR PLAN
Bureau of Land Management’s Plan signals responsible renewable energy development on public lands
Durango, Colorado - Today, the Bureau of Land Management released its proposed Western Solar Plan, kicking off a 30-day protest period. Conservation Lands Foundation commends the Biden Administration and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for finalizing the Western Solar Plan, a crucial roadmap for balancing the nation's urgent need for renewable energy to address the climate crisis with the need for protection of treasured public lands and water due to the biodiversity crisis.
Statement from Kara Matsumoto, public lands policy director for Conservation Lands Foundation:
"As the federal land management agency responsible for the largest amount of public lands in the country, the Bureau of Land Management plays an outsized role in navigating the complex task of siting renewable energy projects while protecting some of the country’s most valuable and vulnerable natural landscapes. The finalized Western Solar Plan signals the agency will take a responsible approach to renewable energy development on public lands, accelerating deployment while avoiding sensitive and valuable natural resources.
"We commend the BLM for finalizing the Western Solar Plan to reflect a commitment to advancing the urgent need to develop renewable energy to combat the climate crisis while minimizing conflicts with vulnerable landscapes, wildlife habitats, cultural sites and the public’s access to public lands.
“While the plan represents significant progress toward realizing the nation’s renewable energy goals, we recognize that it is only the first step in truly assessing which public lands are appropriate for renewable energy development. To round out the full picture of Western landscapes and better determine necessary mitigation for projects, we need updated resource management plans across the West that accurately reflect on-the-ground conditions, such as wilderness character and wildlife corridors.
"We look forward to continued collaboration with the BLM to implement the plan and ensure that solar energy development on public lands is both responsible and sustainable, prioritizing the health of ecosystems, cultural sites and local communities."
####
About Conservation Lands Foundation
We’re the only nonprofit leading a national movement of community-based advocates who care for America’s NATIONAL CONSERVATION LANDS of natural, historical, cultural and recreational significance.
You might also be interested in...
Leave a comment
1 reaction
-
Conservation Lands Foundation published this page in Latest News 2024-08-30 09:27:01 -0600
