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Minimize potential negative environmental impacts; |
2 |
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3 |
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Minimize potential negative social and economic impacts; |
4 |
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5• Provide flexibility to the solar industry to consider a variety of solar energy
6 |
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projects (location, facility size, technology, etc.); |
7 |
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8 |
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Optimize existing transmission infrastructure and corridors; |
9 |
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10 |
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Standardize and streamline the authorization process for utility-scale solar |
11 |
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energy development on BLM-administered lands; and |
12 |
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13 |
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Meet projected demand for solar energy development. |
14 |
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15 |
The elements of BLM’s proposed Solar Energy Program include the following: |
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16 |
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17 |
1. |
Commitment to process pending applications for utility-scale solar energy |
18 |
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development that meet due diligence and siting provisions under existing land |
19 |
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use plans and other policies and procedures; |
20 |
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21 |
2. |
Identification of lands to be excluded from utility-scale solar energy |
22 |
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development in the six-state study area; |
23 |
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24 |
3. |
Identification of priority areas (i.e., SEZs) that are well suited for utility-scale |
25 |
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production of solar energy in accordance with the requirements of Secretarial |
26 |
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Order 3285A1 and the associated authorization procedures for applications in |
27 |
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these areas; |
28 |
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29 |
4. |
Establishment of a process to identify new or expanded SEZs; |
30 |
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31 |
5. |
Establishment of a process that allows for responsible utility-scale solar |
32 |
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energy development outside of SEZs (i.e., variance process). |
33 |
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34 |
6. |
Establishment of design features for solar energy development on public lands |
35 |
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to ensure the most environmentally responsible development and delivery of |
36 |
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solar energy; and |
37 |
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38 |
7. |
Amendment of BLM land use plans in the six-state study area to adopt those |
39 |
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elements of the new Solar Energy Program that pertain to planning. |
40 |
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41 |
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42 |
1.3.2 BLM Decisions To Be Made |
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43 |
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44On the basis of the analyses presented in this Final Solar PEIS, the BLM anticipates
45making the following land use planning decisions that will establish the foundation for a
Final Solar PEIS |
1-9 |
July 2012 |
1 comprehensive Solar Energy Program. Changes in these land use planning decisions in the future 2 will require the BLM to complete land use plan amendments and associated NEPA analyses.
3
41. Land use plan amendments that identify exclusion areas for utility-scale solar
5 |
energy development in the six-state study area; |
6 |
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72. Land use plan amendments that identify priority areas for solar energy
8 |
development that are well suited for utility-scale production of solar energy |
9 |
(i.e., SEZs); |
10 |
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11 |
3. Land use plan amendments that identify areas potentially available for utility- |
12 |
scale solar energy development outside of SEZs in the six-state study area |
13 |
(i.e., variance areas4); and |
14 |
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15 |
4. Land use plan amendments that establish required design features for solar |
16 |
energy development on public lands to ensure the most environmentally |
17 |
responsible development and delivery of solar energy (some may be SEZ- |
18 |
specific, as necessary). |
19 |
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20In addition to the planning-level decisions outlined above, the BLM’s Solar Energy
21Program will include a number of policy components, such as the variance process to address
22ROW applications for utility-scale solar energy development outside of SEZs, and incentives for
23projects proposed in SEZs. These components will be reflected in the Record of Decision (ROD)
24for the Solar PEIS; the BLM will issue subsequent Instruction Memoranda (IM), as necessary, to
25formally establish such policies. Where applicable, the BLM retains the ability to change policies
26associated with its Solar Energy Program through existing policy-making tools rather than
27through a future land use planning process.
28
29On the basis of the analysis in this Final Solar PEIS, the Secretary of the Interior is also
30considering whether to withdraw the public lands encompassed by SEZs from potentially
31conflicting uses through the issuance of a Public Land Order. The required withdrawal studies
32and analyses are being completed as part of the Solar PEIS (see Section 2.2.2.2.4 of this Final
33PEIS for the status of the Public Land Order). The Secretary of the Interior’s ROD for the
34withdrawal decision will be made separate from the BLM’s ROD for the land use planning
35decisions analyzed by the Solar PEIS.
36
37While the Solar PEIS considers the impacts of constructing, operating, and
38decommissioning the related infrastructure needed to support utility-scale solar energy
39development, such as roads, transmission lines, and natural gas or water pipelines, the land use
40plan decisions to be made (e.g., exclusions, SEZs, etc.) will be applicable only to utility-scale
41solar energy generation facilities. Management decisions for supporting infrastructure would
42continue to be made in accordance with existing land use plan decisions and current applicable
4A variance area is defined by the BLM as an area that may be available for a solar ROW with special stipulations or considerations; see avoidance area in the Land Use Planning Handbook (BLM 2005a), Appendix C, page 21, Part E.9.
Final Solar PEIS |
1-10 |
July 2012 |