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Solar Energy and the California Desert
1. Solar Energy and the California Desert San Diego Solar Conference Marriott Mission Valley September 29, 2009
2. Public Lands Managed by BLM
3. History California Desert District The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
4. California Desert Conservation Area The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 Congress declared policy Retain public lands in Federal ownership Manage lands for multiple use and sustained yield Prepare land-use plans Protect quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air, water, and archeological values
5. California Desert Conservation Area The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 Provide food and habitat for fish and wildlife Provide for recreation, human occupancy, and use Manage lands in a manner that recognizes the nation’s need for domestic sources of minerals, food, timber, and fiber
6. Multiple-Use Considerations Recreation Other Governmental Reviews/Laws Native American Values Wild Horse & Burros Wildlife & Vegetation Cultural Resources Energy Development Decisions Geology-Energy Minerals Livestock Grazing Wilderness Energy Production & Utility Corridors Motorized-Vehicle Access
7. California Desert Conservation Area California Desert District Designated by Congress as a Conservation Area, this 25 million-acre expanse covers most of southeastern California -- almost a quarter of the entire state. Nearly half of its acreage is a desert conservation showcase managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
11. Plan Decisions & Congressional Designations Wilderness legislation, planning decisions and policy restrict solar development: Wilderness areas (3.57 million acres) Wilderness study areas (300,000 acres) ACECs (90) DWMAS (3.1 million acres) Habitat Conservation Area (1.6 million acres) Lands acquired or donated for conservation purposes (approx 600,000 acres)
13. Why Here … Why Now? The Mojave Desert is a unique resource 300-330 cloudless days per year with level land at a high elevation Close to 25 million electricity consumers Solar Potential
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15. 2009: Dept. of the Interior Secretarial Order #3289 declares renewable energy as top priority
16. Renewable Energy Applications Beginning in 2005, CDD has received numerous applications for solar energy development, prompting the need to address applications in a coordinated and consistent district-wide manner Currently, 63 applicants first in line with 23 second in line
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT260 million acres surface700 million acres subsurface estate (map of BLM national ownership)
Congress has passed 4 pieces of legislation designating wilderness totaling nearly 3.6 million acresThrough it’s planning process, BLM has established 90 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern6 Desert Wildlife Management Areas totaling 3.1 million acres3 Habitat Conservation Areas for the Mojave Ground Squirrel, Flat tail Horned Lizard and the Fringe Toed LizardLands that have been acquired for conservation purposes or donated to BLM are restricted from surface disturbing activities by policy, Solar development is likely to be incompatible with this policy
Congress has passed 4 pieces of legislation designating wilderness totaling nearly 3.6 million acresThrough it’s planning process, BLM has established 90 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern6 Desert Wildlife Management Areas totaling 3.1 million acres3 Habitat Conservation Areas for the Mojave Ground Squirrel, Flat tail Horned Lizard and the Fringe Toed LizardLands that have been acquired for conservation purposes or donated to BLM are restricted from surface disturbing activities by policy, Solar development is likely to be incompatible with this policy
The combination of abundant sunshine with 300 to 330 cloudless days,Large tracts of nearly level land under single ownershipHigh elevation, andLots of electricity customersMake the Mojave desert one of the best places on earth for the development of commercial scale solar energy.
The State Legislature, the Governor, the United States Congress, The Secretary of the Interior and the President have all directed that Renewable Energy must be developed.And it seems that everyone has their eyes on the California Desert.
BLM is currently working to complete the NEPA process by November of 2010 on 10 applications.If BLM completes the environmental analysis process, decides that the projects are compatible with other values, and issue a Right-of-Way, Then the project developers could begin construction by December 2010 and qualify for Federal loan guarantees under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The Governor has directed the DFG and CEC to develop a Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.The plan is a comprehensive planning and streamlined compliance services for renewable energy projects. Balance project assurances with ecosystem protection.By December 31, 2009- identify and map areas for RPS project development and areas intended for long-term natural resource conservation.And don’t forget to include the Federal Partners- BLM and FWS