John,
The climate crisis is real, and it’s transforming public lands across the United States through drought, wildfire and record flooding. It’s time to end U.S. reliance on dirty energy, and that means rapidly building out renewable energy. But the critical question is: Where?
The Bureau of Land Management is working on an answer, overhauling its plan for where it will allow large solar facilities on public lands. This is our chance to help shape renewable energy and protect public lands and wildlife at the same time.
Unfortunately the BLM wants to devote 22 million acres of public lands across the West to solar development, including very sensitive areas like the remote Arizona Strip, the shores of Malheur Lake in Oregon, adjacent to Nevada’s Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, and the heart of threatened desert tortoise habitat in the Mojave Desert. That’s too much land in the wrong places — and the agency has another choice.
Instead of opening up this massive acreage, the BLM should choose an alternative plan that, while still providing 8 million acres for solar development, would limit the harm by focusing on already disturbed public lands — places that are less important for wildlife.
The agency should also set aside more sensitive lands across the West, like lakeshores and occupied endangered species habitat, to remain untouched by solar development.
Tell the BLM to pick a plan that doesn’t destroy public lands in a rush to expand renewable energy. |
