U.S. solar energy industry leaders appealed to the U.S. government against the freeze on applications for new solar projects on public land in six Western states. The freeze was announced previously by the Bureau of Land Management stating it would conduct an extensive study focused at the environmental, social and economic impacts of solar energy development.
In the 22-month study, the agency will not consider any new proposals for solar energy developments on public land in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico or Utah.
Solar industry leaders claim that this moratorium could hurt a lot of companies in the blooming U.S. industry. They further added that companies could face huge fines if they don’t deliver on previously signed agreements to supply power, and a blanket freeze on the industry is a mistake. Most companies are expected to be hurt by this freeze if they have ongoing projects.
According to Linda Resseguie, the project manager of the study of the Bureau of Land Management saod tjat prior to the effect of the freeze at the end of May, the government had received about 130 applications for development on over one million acres of land. She further added that they’d continue working with the said applications that are already with them noting that it seemed best for them not to continue to build on it until they have a better understand as to which public lands were best suited for solar energy development.
The applications currently being assessed by the Bureau of Land Management have the potential to generate 70 billion watts of electricity, enough energy to power about 20 million homes in the United States.
This move is being criticized having brought up at a time where record high gasoline prices and calls from the presumptive presidential candidates of both major parties for development of energy alternatives to oil. Solar industry leaders find it ludicrous that the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) moves to put a moratorium on new projects when they have yet to process a single application. They claim that there are 80 million acres of US land leased to the oil and gas industry but not one acre for solar. This freeze on new applications appeared to show a “big disconnect” from public support for solar power.
It is hoped that the agency would reconsider the blanket policy in favor of a program that would allow what is called “real” projects – where long-term agreements to supply power have already been signed — to be evaluated.
The Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the Interior Department, controls 258 million acres of land, or about 13 percent of the total surface land in the country, primarily in Western states. The sunny desert land that makes up a large portion of the six states is the ideal terrain for solar energy development.
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