“We are putting a bull’s-eye on the development of solar energy on our public lands,” Salazar said during an announcement with U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, of Nevada, in a courtyard shaded by a solar power array at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
He said the federal Bureau of Land Management plans to spend $22 million conducting studies of 24 tracts in the 670,000 acres of property he set aside in Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. Posters displayed Monday showed sites north of Cedar City, in southern Nevada, Southern California east of San Diego, west of Phoenix, southwest of Pueblo, Colo., and around Las Cruces, N.M.
Monday’s announcement echoed Salazar’s order issued in March vowing a “moonshot for energy independence” that would propel solar, wind, geothermal and biomass projects ahead of oil and gas development.
At that time, Salazar said that even if the Southwest’s renewable zones excluded sensitive lands, enough area would remain to produce 88 percent of the West’s energy needs through solar alone.
“Propel solar, wind, geothermal and biomass projects ahead of oil and gas development.” I’ve been waiting a long time to hear that.
I think it’s sad that you find pleasure according to which industries are politically favored.
Way back in 2002 when I was running for Nevada Assembly 22, one of my main planks was that the state should work to develop the vast potential for solar, wind, and geothermal power. And NOW they get around to copying me. Jerks.