BLM Press Release
As part of its ongoing effort to support responsible renewable energy development on public lands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding a public scoping meeting in Salt Lake City to solicit feedback on the recently announced programmatic environmental impact statement for the BLM’s utility-scale solar energy planning.
The BLM is considering updates to its 2012 Western Solar Plan that included six southwestern states – Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah – and is seeking comment regarding expanding its solar planning to include five additional states: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. The Salt Lake City meeting is one of a series being held in January and February in various western states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and virtually. For the complete list of meetings, visit the BLM webpage.
“The BLM is committed to expanding renewable energy development on public lands to help lead the nation into a clean energy future, enhance America’s energy security and provide for good-paying union jobs,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “We look forward to hearing from the public on effective ways to expand our nation’s capacity for producing solar energy while continuing to ensure robust protection of our public lands and waters.”
The Salt Lake City meeting will be held on Feb. 7, 2023, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. MST at the BLM Utah State Office, 440 W. 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, in the Monument Room. Parking is available at The Gateway in the parking garages. The South Garage, accessible from 400 West and 100 South, offers convenient access to reach the BLM Utah State Office. The first hour of parking is free, is $2 for up to two hours and $2 per hour afterward up to $12 for the full day. Individuals who need special assistance, such as sign language interpretation and other reasonable accommodations, should contact the BLM at Solar@BLM.gov.
The Notice of Intent to update the BLM’s 2012 solar programmatic environmental impact statement was published in the Federal Register on Dec. 8, 2022, with interested parties invited to submit written feedback or to participate in one of the in-person or virtual public scoping meetings.
The public comment period will remain open for 15 days after the last public scoping meeting. For the most current information on these meetings and to view the Notice of Intent, visit the BLM’s ePlanning website.
An additional virtual meeting will be held on Feb. 13, 2023, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. MST for those who cannot join the in-person meeting in Salt Lake. Pre-registration is required. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email that contains information about joining the meeting.