1federal government will collect income from ROW rental payments, which include an acreage

2component and capacity fee component. Further, the BLM is proposing to offer lands within

3 SEZs through a competitive process (see Section 2.2.2.2.1 of this Final Solar PEIS), which could 4 result in increased revenue to the federal government. A competitive process, however, could

5 increase costs for developers of solar facilities.

6

7 As discussed in Section 5.17.1.1 of the Draft Solar PEIS, there would be some adverse 8 economic impacts on displaced public land users associated with solar development (e.g., loss

9of grazing allotments). There may also be adverse social impacts resulting from changes in

10recreation, property values, and environmental amenities (e.g., environmental quality, rural

11community values, or cultural values). There could also be beneficial social impacts associated

12with solar development resulting from economic growth and a positive reception to the presence

13of a renewable energy industry. At the programmatic level, it is difficult to quantify these

14impacts.

15

16

17 6.1.4 Provide Flexibility to Solar Industry

18

19As compared to the SEZ alternative, the program alternative provides a greater degree of

20flexibility to developers in identifying appropriate locations for utility-scale development

21(i.e., economically attractive locations with minimal environmental or cultural resource

22conflicts), by identifying lands outside of exclusion areas and SEZs as potentially developable

23through the associated variance process.

24

25Concerns were expressed in comments on the Supplement to the Draft Solar PEIS that by

26excluding lands with slopes greater than 5% and with solar insolation levels below

276.5 kWh/m2/day, the BLM could be removing lands that some developers may find both

28technically and economically feasible to pursue in the future. Consistent with existing

29regulations, applicants may request that the BLM amend a land use plan to allow for an

30otherwise nonconforming proposal (BLM Land Use Planning Handbook H-1601-1,

31Section VII(B) [BLM 2005]).10 For example, an applicant may request a land use plan

32amendment for development in areas with higher slope or lower insolation than previously

33identified in order to avoid a potential resource conflict or maximize the use of existing

34transmission. Further, in this Final Solar PEIS, the BLM has indicated that it will consider

35development on slopes of up to 10% provided that all other development requirements are met

36and a land use plan amendment is undertaken. In addition, the BLM’s proposed SEZ

37identification protocol would allow future expanded or new SEZs to be located in areas excluded

38for slope and/or insolation, provided that the areas are otherwise well suited for development

39(see Section A.2.6 of Appendix A).

40

41

10The decision to amend a land use plan is within the BLM’s discretion. Denial of a request to amend a plan is a plan-level decision made by a BLM State Director and may be protested to the BLM Director under

43 CFR 1610.5-2(a).

1 6.1.5 Optimize Existing Transmission Infrastructure and Corridors

2

3 The proposed variance process provides developers with the flexibility to identify and 4 propose projects that optimize existing transmission infrastructure and designated transmission 5 corridors. In addition, the BLM’s proposed SEZ identification protocol (see Section A.2.5 of 6 Appendix A) will consider proximity to existing infrastructure such as transmission lines and 7 corridors as an important factor in locating new or expanded SEZs. As part of that process, the

8BLM will catalog the existing and proposed transmission lines in relation to the power

9generation from a proposed SEZ location. The BLM will also consult with state and regional

10transmission planning and coordination authorities, state energy offices, and transmission system

11operators to evaluate available capacity on the existing and proposed lines and whether

12transmission access issues might create barriers to development in a specific area.

13

14Although it is likely that most new utility-scale solar energy development will require

15new transmission capacity, projects that can be located near existing transmission lines would

16likely result in fewer environmental impacts associated with connecting to and/or upgrading the

17existing lines. Similarly, solar projects that utilize existing corridors would result in reduced

18environmental impacts, assuming the corridor designation process factored potential

19environmental and other siting concerns into the corridor alignment. The use of existing

20transmission infrastructure and corridors could also reduce cost, time, and controversy.

21

22

23 6.1.6 Standardize and Streamline the Authorization Process

24

25The program alternative would standardize requirements and reduce uncertainty for

26project applications both in SEZs and in variance areas. It would streamline project review and

27approval processes, and ensure consistency in the way utility-scale ROW applications are

28managed. Individual ROW applications would continue to be authorized on an individual project

29basis; however, these evaluations would tier to the programmatic analyses presented in the Solar

30PEIS and the decisions implemented in the resultant ROD and land use plan amendments to the

31extent appropriate.

32

33

34 6.1.7 Meet Projected Demand for Solar Energy Development

35

36On the basis of the RFDS for solar energy development (which is assumed to be the same

37for each alternative), the estimated amount of solar energy generation on BLM-administered

38lands in the study area over the 20-year study period (through approximately 2030) would be

39about 24,000 MW, with a corresponding dedicated use of about 214,000 acres (866 km2) of

40BLM-administered lands. The comparison of the area projected to be needed for solar

41development under the RFDS with the lands available for application under the two BLM action

42alternatives is presented in Section 2.4, Table 2.4-2 of this Final Solar PEIS. Under the program

43alternative, the land area in SEZs (285,000 acres [1,153 km2]) with an assumed build-out of 80%

44would be sufficient to meet the RFDS. The additional lands available for application in variance

45areas (about 19 million acres [82,964 km2]) would provide additional available acreage as well

46as flexibility in terms of where the projected 24,000 MWs would be constructed. With some