Matt Clark, Defenders Southwest Representative
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Arizonans are invited to help make the call on whether solar energy development is “in the zone.” The U.S. Department of Interior is holding meetings starting Tuesday in Phoenix and on Wednesday in Tucson to listen to citizens’ views on plans for solar projects on public lands.
Matt Clark with Defenders of Wildlife in Arizona says the biggest reason for Arizonans to participate is that these lands belong to them and future generations.
“It’s vital that the public participate in this public process, which affects millions of acres of their public lands. We need to plan solar energy development smart from the start, in order to avoid the loss of important wildlife habitat, hunting areas, cultural sites and water resources.”
The plans on the table will set guidelines for “where, what, when and how big” for solar projects on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Clark says the ideal solar zones are areas where conflicts with recreation, wildlife and the environment are expected to be minimal. Ideal zones would also be sited near transmission grids.
The biggest reason for Arizonans to participate is that these lands belong to them and future generations. — Matt Clark
Alex Daue, renewable energy coordinator with The Wilderness Society, says large-scale solar projects are needed quickly to meet energy demands. But he says getting zones in place first is a good proposal from the BLM.
“They’ve identified a number of places across the state that have great solar resources and limited conflicts. By guiding projects to these zones, we can ensure that solar development on public lands is faster, cheaper and better.”
Complete meeting schedules for the Solar Energy Development Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft Solar PEIS) are available at online.
— Doug Ramsey, Public News Service – AZ
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