A first for renewable energy in the CA desert

September 29, 2014 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the California Department of Natural Resources have released what is being called a first-of-its-kind plan for conservation and renewable energy development in the California desert.

Credit: Thinkstock

The draft of the long-awaited Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) is "an unprecedented opportunity to provide a framework for "smart from the start" planning efforts that guide renewable energy development to areas with low environmental and wildlife risk, and conserve the desert's wildlife, wilderness and treasures landscapes," according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) who has been engaged in the draft process for more than four years.

The DRECP is a combined state and federal effort -- including collaborations between the Bureau of Land Management, the California Energy Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"This process has set an important and useful precedent…If designed and administered correctly, this landmark effort can provide a blueprint for responsible renewable energy development while safeguarding the desert's special places and species," said Helen O'Shea, director of NRDC's Western Renewable Energy Project. "And it can play a critical role in our efforts to fight climate change and develop a sustainable clean energy future."

For more:
- see the draft proposal

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/first-renewable-energy-ca-desert/2014-09-29