2012 Renewable Energy Priority Projects

Nov. 22, 2011 - blm.gov

The Bureau of Land Management continues its work on environmentally responsible development of utility-scale renewable energy projects on public lands as part of the Administration's efforts to diversify the Nation's energy portfolio.

In 2012, the BLM will be giving priority status to 17 projects (9 solar, 6 wind, and 2 geothermal) representing about 7,000 MW. BLM developed this priority list in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, with an emphasis on early consultation. The 2012 priority projects were selected based on a variety of criteria, including progress of the necessary public participation and environmental analysis under NEPA and applicable state environmental laws. BLM also used the screening criteria for priority solar and wind projects, developed through BLM policy memoranda issued in February 2011, to assist in evaluating and prioritizing the projects on this list.

The table below indicates the locations and other details regarding the BLM's priority renewable energy projects for 2012. Links are given to related BLM and state web pages, as well as Federal Register notices.

For a listing of projects approved in 2010, select this link .

For a listing of projects in 2011, select this link .

NOI = Notice of Intent EIS = Environmental Impact Statement DEIS = Draft EIS
EA = Environmental Assessment FONSI = Finding of No Significant Impact

   Solar Energy Projects

State	Project Name [Applicant] (Location)	Technology	Potential Output (MW) a	BLM Acreage	Status
AZ	Quartzsite Solar Energy [Solar Reserve]	Power Tower	100	1,500	NOI published 1/14/2010 Draft EIS released 11/10/2011
CA	McCoy Solar [NextEra]	PV	750	7,754	NOI published 8/29/2011
CA	Desert Harvest [enXco]	PV	100	930	NOI published 9/15/2011
CA	Calico Solar Redesign [K Power]	PV	664 b	4,613	NOI published 10/25/2011
CA	Ocotillo Sol [San Diego Gas & Electric]	PV	14	115	NOI Published 7/17/2011
CA	Mount Signal Solar Farm #1 [82LV 8ME, LLC]	PV	600 (Private)	See note c below	EA Pending
NV	Amargosa North Solar   [Pacific Solar Investments ]	PV	150	7,500	NOI published 12/14/2009 Draft EIS Pending
NV	Silver State South [First Solar]	PV	350	1,400	NOI
NV	Moapa Solar Project          [K Road Power] (Clark County)	PV	350 (Tribal)	See note d below	NOI published 2/4/2011 Draft EIS published 11/25/2011

 

^a   Potential output may change depending on the analysis and review of each project.
^b   The Calico solar project was previously approved in 2010, but the project has been redesigned with solar PV technology and will require additional BLM approval. The MW capacity for this project is not counted as new MW capacity in the total MWs for the 2012 Priority projects.
^c   Projects on private land: denotes "connected action" projects that will require BLM authorizations for off-site faciliites (transmission, access, etc.).
^d   2,000 acres of Tribal land.

  Wind Energy Projects

State	Project Name [Applicant] (County)	Potential Output (MW) a	BLM Acreage	Status
AZ	Mohave County Wind Farm [BP Wind]	500	31,338	NOI published 7/26/2010 Draft EIS pending
CA	Walker Ridge Wind [AltaGas]	70	7,882	NOI published 8/13/2010 Draft EIS pending
NV	Searchlight Wind [Duke Energy]	200	24,382	NOI published 12/16/2008 Draft EIS pending
WY	Sand Hills Ranch [Shell Wind Energy]	50 total  (4 BLM)	3,101	Final EA Pending
WY	Choke Cherry/Sierra Madre [Power Co. of WY]	3000 total (1500 BLM)	107,105	Draft EIS released 7/22/2011 Final EIS pending
WY	White Mountain [Teton Wind LLC]	360 total (108 BLM)	2,461	EA FONSI 8/15/2011

^a   Potential output may change depending on the analysis and review of each project.

   Geothermal Energy Projects 

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