The Biden administration on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for solar energy projects on federal lands that identifies 22 million acres in 11 western states best suited for development.
The announcement is part of the Interior Department’s push to site more renewable energy facilities on federal lands, a cornerstone of President Joe Biden’s goal to decarbonize the U.S. electricity grid by 2035 and combat climate change.
The draft plan published on Wednesday would update an Obama-era policy that established special zones for solar projects in just six states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
Interior said changes to the Bureau of Land Management‘s 11-year-old Western Solar Plan were necessary due to advances in technology, soaring demand for renewable energy and increased interest in solar development in northern states.
The new plan includes areas in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming and is focused on lands within 10 miles of existing or planned transmission lines because those areas are easier to develop, Interior said.
It also excludes 126 million acres from development due to conflicts with things like critical wildlife habitats, recreation, historic places and old growth forests.
While identifying 22 million acres of suitable land, the plan envisions development on only 700,000 acres over the next 20 years.
“By updating this plan, we will facilitate faster and easier responsible permitting in priority areas and improve consistency in processing rights of way for utility-scale solar projects,” Laura Daniel-Davis, Interior’s acting deputy secretary, said on a call with reporters.
The proposal is open for public comment until April 18. A final plan is expected to be published before the end of the year.
Separately, the Bureau of Land Management gave the go-ahead for the Camino Solar Project in Kern County, allowing construction to begin on a 44-megawatt photovoltaic solar facility on 233 acres of public land that will power approximately 13,340 homes.
