Jul 02 - Associated Press/AP Online

The government is calling off a recently announced moratorium on applications to build solar plants on public lands.

The Bureau of Land Management made the announcement Wednesday after public opposition to its original decision.

The BLM had wanted to put new applications for solar plants on federal land on hold while reviewing potential environmental impacts from such plants.

That process could have taken years, and the decision sparked criticism from the solar energy industry and officials including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who vowed this week to overturn it.

Nevada is composed largely of federal land and is a prime destination for solar plants because of its climate and terrain.