Fewer Hoops for Solar Power on Fed Lands

Fewer Hoops for Solar Power on Fed Lands

Oct 21 - United Press International

The Bush administration Thursday announced new guidelines for streamlining the approval of plans for solar power projects on federal lands.

Assistant Interior Secretary Rebecca Watson said in San Francisco the plan would classify solar projects as rights-of-way applications that place them under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.

Watson said the new policy would serve as a framework for land managers who are charged with approving the projects but don't yet have the applications on their desks. Without the new rules, a costly and time-consuming amendment to the particular area's land-use plan would be required.

Watson said the new Solar Energy Development Policy puts us in a position to respond more quickly to solar energy development.

The BLM has 261 million acres of land under its control, most of which are in the West and are earmarked for multiple uses, including energy production.

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