The Bureau of Land Management announced Thursday it has completed a road map to speed up permitting for large solar projects on public lands in the West.
The proposed Western Solar Plan designates 31 million acres as potentially ripe for solar development and containing few natural resources conflicts.
The White House and senior Interior Department officials touted the proposal as a major advancement of Biden administration efforts to transition the nation away from fossil fuels and to green energy sources that cut greenhouse gas emissions driving climate warming.
“The updated Western Solar Plan will help build modern, resilient energy infrastructure that creates a strong clean energy economy and protects our communities from the worsening impacts of climate change,” said Steve Feldgus, Interior’s principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, in a statement.
