Dept of Interior Reaffirms Its Commitment to Fully Developing Public Land Green Energy.

[lyle_destroys]

I honestly don’t understand why they are so against nuclear energy.

 

[cuerro viejo]

What general area is this? I’m in Texas. So far online calculators show 15 years to pay for it. Don’t know if I will be interested or not.

Problem is since you are in Texas what happens when you need a new roof from hail? Or you are on coast and you have about 10 year shingle life expectancy. Can you even get roof insurance?

No body thinks about roof life, or cost to remove and re-install panels.

Then there is that big field out side of Houston that’s got trashed by hail

 

[bigeyedfish]

These solar farms generally go up near high traffic highways so as long as they fund some wildlife overpass deals I think it would net out versus fossil fuels.

I have been around the construction of a few these now, and this has not been my experience at all. I'm seeing projects 800-1,200 acres in size, and they are replacing rice fields and river bottom farm ground pretty far from any interstate highways.

I don't know anything about the oil and gas industry, so I can't comment on how the impact of solar will compare to the impact of oil rigs, but I can add what I've seen on solar farms. The solar farms I've seen go up get tilled/disked, graded, and re-seeded. This isn't ideal for wildlife, but it's not terribly different from the ag practices that were already in the area. The ground is not left bare, and often you cannot leave more than 20-50 acres open during construction. Open would be bare dirt. It's no longer "open" once it has gotten seed and straw or vegetation has started to grow. Some of this ground is so fertile that it is regrowing before you get out there to re-seed it.

My problems are with the fencing and the panels themselves. And the money. Each of the sites I've seen get a six foot chain link fence around each array, which definitely affects travel patterns and feeding opportunities. I've been at several sites in Arkansas, and on the drive there we'll see thousands of ducks in flooded fields. Then you get to the solar fields and all you see are panels and fence. At the rate we're going, this country will have an enormous footprint of these solar fields where there used to be productive hunting and farming ground, along with the money spent to develop them. Personally, I would prefer to see that money and effort go toward nuclear which is much more efficient from a power output to footprint perspective.

 

[CJ19]

The Bureau of Land Management announced the lease sale of more than 219,000 acres in NV for renewable energy development recently in October. The lease sale was for geothermal projects to help meet the Biden-Harris Administration's project 2035 goal to fully develop renewable energy especially on public lands and net-zero carbon by 2050. Below are 2 articles and key quotes from those articles for those interested in energy policy on public land.

“The BLM is committed to supporting the responsible growth of geothermal energy on public lands,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning.

Biden-Harris Administration Takes Major Steps to Accelerate Clean Energy Geothermal Development on Public Lands | U.S. Department of the Interior

The Department of the Interior today announced significant strides in expanding geothermal energy on public lands, an abundant clean energy resource with tremendous potential to help the country meet the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.

www.doi.gov

BLM announces geothermal lease sale results in Nevada | Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Office today held a competitive geothermal lease sale, offering 66 parcels totaling 219,130.24 acres.

www.blm.gov

"These parcels were carefully analyzed through the NEPA process, and this successful sale takes the nation another step closer to achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035." - Bureau of Interior Official


While I have only begun a very short review of the associated documents, at least a portion of the parcels leased do overlap big game habitat as well as other wildlife habitat resources including bighorn sheep all year range and crucial winter and all year habitat for mule deer.

 

[flathead#2]

Reducing the "carbon footprint" through outright habitat destruction.

 

[CJ19]

Here is Dept of Interior's headline article for October:​

Interior’s Leadership in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Clean Energy Agenda | U.S. Department of the Interior

For the Biden-Harris administration, creating a clean energy economy is not only about combating the climate crisis, but also about creating good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs and strengthening the American economy.

www.doi.gov

​

​

Interior’s Leadership in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Clean Energy Agenda​

10/08/2024

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For the Biden-Harris administration, creating a clean energy economy is not only about combating the climate crisis, but also about creating good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs and strengthening the American economy. Under the leadership of Secretary Deb Haaland, the Department of the Interior is delivering on the President’s historic clean energy goals.


From deploying solar energy on public lands to building an offshore wind industry in our federal waters, the Department is working to responsibly harness America’s natural resources while creating new opportunities for communities.

Making Our Public Lands Part of the Solution​

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By advancing large-scale clean energy projects, the Department is ensuring that lands and waters managed on behalf of the American people are part of the solution to the most pressing environmental crisis of our time.
Onshore, the Department has surpassed its goal and facilitated the development of over 29 gigawatts of clean energy on public lands — enough to power more than 12 million homes. Under Secretary Haaland’s leadership, the Department has approved 41 renewable energy projects, including some of the largest solar and transmission developments in U.S. history. These include transformative initiatives such as the Greenlink West Transmission Project, a 472-mile-long project in Nevada that will connect clean energy sources to power 1.2 million homes, and the Libra Solar Project, which will generate and store enough clean energy to power over 212,000 homes. Each project not only reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, but also brings good-paying jobs to rural and underserved areas, ensuring that the economic benefits of clean energy reach every corner of the country.
The Bureau of Land Management plays a central role in this effort, working tirelessly to streamline the permitting process, prioritize low-impact development areas, and ensure that environmental and community considerations are factored into every decision. Recently, the BLM announced a proposed update to the Western Solar Plan, which guides development to high-opportunity areas across the West, reducing land-use conflicts and expediting project approvals.

Leading the Charge on Offshore Wind Development​

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The Department’s leadership extends beyond the nation’s shores. When President Biden and Vice President Harris took office, there were zero approved commercial-scale offshore wind projects. Today, the Department has approved 10 major offshore wind projects with a capacity of more than 15 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy — enough to power over 5 million homes and equivalent to half of the capacity needed to achieve President Biden’s goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.
One of the latest achievements is the approval of an offshore wind project off the coast of Maryland, which has the potential to generate 2 gigawatts of clean energy and power 770,000 homes. This project alone will support nearly 2,700 jobs annually during its development and construction phases over the next seven years, marking a significant boon for local communities and economies.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has held four offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New Jersey, a sale offshore the Carolinas, and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf Coasts – with a sale in the Gulf of Maine expected before the end of the year. Over the next four years, the Department plans to hold up to 8 more offshore wind lease sales.

Collaborating with Tribes, States and Communities​

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Collaboration is at the heart of the Department’s progress. By engaging states, Tribes, local governments, and community organizations early and often, the Department is building a transparent, inclusive process that ensures all voices are heard. This approach is essential not only to ensure environmental and cultural resources are protected but also to build trust and foster lasting partnerships in the communities that will host these projects for generations. The Department’s commitment to community-focused development is evident in every project it undertakes.
Across Indian Country, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Electrification Program has invested an overall $150 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This will provide financial and technical assistance to connect homes in Tribal communities to transmission and distribution that is powered by clean energy; provide electricity to unelectrified homes through zero-emissions energy systems; transition electrified homes to zero-emissions energy systems; and support associated home repairs and retrofitting needed to install the zero-emissions energy systems. In addition, the program supports clean energy workforce development opportunities in Indian Country.
For example, Secretary Haaland made the Department’s first Tribal Electrification announcement during a visit to the Hopi Tribe in Arizona, which received $4.2 million through these awards to plan and design solar and storage systems to provide resilient and reliable electricity to up to 300 off-grid, unelectrified households on the reservation. The Tribe also received over $6 million in the second round of awards for a proposed plan that includes the installation of 295 individual Solar Home Systems, five mini-grids serving approximately 65 homes, and 215 solar-only, Grid-Ready Rooftop Solar systems.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future​

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As the world faces record-breaking temperatures, extreme weather events, and the ongoing impacts of the climate crisis, this work is more critical than ever. The Department is not just approving projects — it’s building a legacy. By responsibly leveraging America’s public lands and waters, the Department is creating an energy future that is cleaner, more just and inclusive.
As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s all-of-government coordination to combat the climate crisis, the Department will continue to show that America’s public lands can be a powerful force for good — driving economic growth, supporting American workers, and delivering a healthier planet for future generations.
There’s more to be done, but the work so far proves that America is up to the challenge — and ready to lead the world in building a sustainable and prosperous energy future for all.

 

[Russp]

Reducing the "carbon footprint" through outright habitat destruction.

Yep I don't understand why theyse solar farms can't be placed in parking lots etc. Covered parking and produce energy without the destruction of habitat left and right.

 

[jmez]

Because the Federal Gvmt doesn't control the land for parking lots.

 

[COelk89]

They absolutely do not build solar farms only in high traffic areas. They build them near transmission lines, and transmission lines either have been built or are planned where it can be permitted and constructed from point A to point B the cheapest. Sometimes this means lines follow highways or existing ROW, sometimes not. I did work on an unnamed line that is wrapping up construction from WY to UT taking wind power to California. You better believe that there are now solar projects that are potentially viable on that transmission line that were not before. And that line passes through every type of land use category you could think of other than designated wilderness.

I consult in the O&G industry and have been in basins from the Bakken to the Permian and most in between. They are all different for one, different in ownership, geology, development, etc. To paint them all in the same light is incorrect. Oil and gas developments all have impacts on wildlife, almost none of them providing a net positive. At the end of the day, habitat is lost temporarily and degraded long-term to permanently. Restoring oil and gas locations is not an easy process it is part of the process. That is not part of the plan in a solar development.

Interestingly, with all the transmission that is built up to service oil and gas, it now opens the door for that transmission to serve solar needs.

 

[Beendare]

OMG, what a debacle.
Where does all of this money for solar panels go; China the #1 mnfr by a wide margin

The windmills in Hawaii in one of the windiest places on earth decades ago- abandoned, a rusty ugly mess- proved these windmills especially offshore is a stupid idea....but thats what the current admin does- throw money at stupid ideas.
Offshore; Billions in current offshore wind projects; the companies on the E coast walked away even with huge incentives by the US taxpayers- they literally abandoned these projects- that tells you something- it ain't going to work.

Texas- shattered panels, frozen panels at exactly the time we electric the most failed- proved solar is fine for supplemental electric but a bad idea for primary.



I saw a stat on batteries which is key to solar even being close to a viable solution.

These dumb bunnies in the current admin are so focused on theory they lose sight of reality- they don't have anyone that gives them real world situation. Run the numbers.

I saw a stat; It would take the biggest battery plant in the world 1,000 years to produce enough batteries to store 6 hours of power usage in the US. Thats what solar is up against.

Solar is only part of the solution- nuclear is the clear long term solution.

 

[Yoder]

Vote appropriately or stop complaining about it.

 

[CJ19]

Update:



"The updated Western Solar Plan identifies the availability of over 31 million acres of public lands across the 11 Western states for utility-scale solar project applications; however, only approximately 700,000 of those acres are anticipated to be developed by 2045 to meet projected demand. The larger available area allows for greater flexibility in considering solar proposals. No solar projects are authorized through this planning effort; all individual proposed projects must still undergo site-specific environmental review with opportunity for public comment before a decision is made on whether to approve them." - US Department of Interior Press Release

Interior Department Finalizes Framework for Future of Solar Development on Public Lands | U.S. Department of the Interior

The Department of the Interior today announced an updated Western Solar Plan to help guide efficient and environmentally responsible solar energy permitting on public lands across the West

www.doi.gov

Highlighted quote from the article:

“Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Interior Department has moved at the pace needed to meet the moment and swiftly grow a robust and sustainable clean energy economy while protecting precious resources in America’s public lands. With an updated Western Solar Plan, created with extensive input from the public, the Department will ensure the responsible development of solar energy across the West for decades to come,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.





Also on the renewable front, the 11th offshore wind farm in US waters permitted by the Biden Harris Administration.

Highlighted Quote for the article:

“When we walked in the door of this Administration, there were zero approved, commercial-scale offshore wind projects in federal waters. Today, I am proud to celebrate our 11th approval, a testament to the commitment and enduring progress made by the hardworking public servants at the Department of the Interior,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Eleventh Offshore Wind Project in U.S. History | U.S. Department of the Interior

The Biden-Harris administration today announced the approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project – the nation’s 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden’s leadership

www.doi.gov

Added -

BLM approves Two Rivers wind energy project | Bureau of Land Management

The BLM Rawlins Field Office today issued a decision record approving the Two Rivers wind energy project on 4,507 acres of BLM-managed land near Medicine Bow and Rock River in Carbon and Albany counties.

www.blm.gov

 

[CJ19]

USDA Announces Another Round of Historic Investments to Increase Access to Clean, Affordable Energy Across the Country

www.usda.gov

4.7 billion in funding from the inflation reduction act.

 

[Trogon]

I honestly don’t understand why they are so against nuclear energy.

This would require the government to actually create something on their own, which they are totally incompetent at now (e.g. nasa). Much easier, and politically more beneficial, to cut checks for play money to lobbyist and campaign donors. R’s do the same thing with fossil fuel.

We should have cut off the rotten appendage which is campaign finance 20years ago, but now the body is infected.

 

[CJ19]

The Biden Harris Administration has moved to execute a one-two punch to Americas public lands. By banning offshore drilling under the guise of protection, energy production will now be moved onshore to US public lands. Under the set up established by the Biden Administration and documented with in this thread, it obvious to see the move: Fully develop US Public Land with industrial scale renewable energy. The need for energy isnt going away so this energy has to be produced somewhere on shore. Yet, where are the conservationists and supposed hunter NGOs pointing out that this is far worse for hunters and public land users than some PLT lawsuit from Utah that has been dead in the water since the day it was filed?

FACT SHEET: President Biden Protects Atlantic and Pacific Coasts from Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling | The White House

President Biden has now conserved over 670 million acres of America’s lands and waters, more than any other president in history Today President Biden

www.whitehouse.gov

 

[Mtndawger]

this is something i hear people say a lot. an engineer that is competent with electric grids could explain it better but unfortunately this wont really work the way people think. The sporadic nature of small systems and fluctuation in load and that sort of stuff makes this implausible for the foreseeable future. its not just a matter of giving everyone a panel. a small panel on every roof feeding small amounts of current back into the system to power a large grid of users is nothing but a pipe dream.

now a small panel to help with 25% of a single houses electric or something. that works.

Our power grid is not engineered to accept the level of inputs from every household having its own panels feeding into it. It’s not designed that way. It also not an efficient way of utilizing resources to create more power. Doesn’t mean there is no case to be made for going off the grid and simply producing your own power. Not a huge market for people that want to do that, though as most want to backfeed power and get some return for it.

 

[Mtndawger]

I honestly don’t understand why they are so against nuclear energy.

Currently existing nuclear plants don’t have many options to dispose of their nuclear waste. So as I understand it they are holding onto it waiting for solutions to develop. I see that as the primary issue with developing more nuclear. Nowhere to store the waste and no state, city, county wants it getting shipped through their jurisdiction and risking a disaster. Once stored it’s toxic for centuries. There is research ongoing to overcome the challenges to nuclear but they require massive investment with no guaranteed return. Private capital is working on it as well as government but private needs government to help fund it.

 

[KurtR]

Both wind tower projects around here have been put on hold with a third one that is dead.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Both wind tower projects around here have been put on hold with a third one that is dead.

Yelp solar is dead around us, I’m itching for it to die. neighbors saw the light, they have one year left on option lease. If its not exercised , they will never sign again,

 

[ozyclint]

Vote appropriately or stop complaining about it.

If voting mattered it would be illegal