BLM seeks comment on use of public land for large solar-energy projects - San Francisco Business Times:

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The land management agency that 24 largee tracts of federal land in the West includingnearly 21,000 acres in Colorado’ s San Luis Valley — would be studied for thei r solar power potential. Other statexs involved are California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and New The goal is to spee d project permittingfor utility-scale soladr power projects. The 24 tracts — known as Solatr Energy Study Areas, totaling 670,000 acres — will be evaluated for theidr environmental and resource suitabilityfor large-scale solae energy production.
In Colorado, the three arease in the San Luis Vallet that will be part of the studyt could generate upto 4,182w megawatts of solar power if fully developed, according to the , which oversee BLM. Areas deemed suitable for largs solar power projects would be available for companie to build installations with a capacityh of 10 megawattsor more. Companies proposing projects in theses areas would be eligible for fasterrpermit processing, the department The land in the Solart Energy Study Areas will be looked at as part of an existingt solar-power environmental impact study the departmenft is conducting in six Western states.
An in-deptu environmental review is being paid for with moneyh from the American Reinvestment andRecovery Act, the announcement said. BLM said last monthg it has received 158 applications for solare power projects on federao lands inthe West. In Colorado, BLM is seekingh comment on potential solar developmen of lands in the DeTillsa Gulch, Los Mogotes East, Antonito and Fourmile East areas of southern Colorado. BLM manages 256 million acres of federalpublix land, including more than 8 million in Colorado. in PDF The public comment period endsJuly 30.