January 18, 2010

In an effort to move 31 renewable energy and transmission projects into high gear, the Obama administration has put them on a fast track permitting process. But such deals, which would take place on federal lands, have some opposition -- and it's coming from those in green corners, who say that certain ones should be relocated.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has picked those shovel-ready projects that qualify for federal stimulus support. And while the nation has clearly stated that growing its green energy portfolio is a priority, some controversy is surrounding the agency's new policy. The way and manner that some pending cases are decided will have a direct affect on how all renewable projects are permitted.

"The BLM is committed to helping diversify this country's energy portfolio in an environmentally responsible manner," says Bob Abbey, director of the agency. "The fast track process is about focusing our staff and resources on the most promising renewable energy projects and not about cutting corners, especially when it comes to environmental analyses or opportunities for public participation."

All renewable energy projects proposed for BLM-managed lands will receive the full environmental review required by the National Environmental Protection Act and they will all entail the kind of public involvement that is required for all other land-use decision making by the agency, he adds.

The agency has initially chosen an array of solar, wind and transmission projects that it says could power almost 1 million homes. The technologies vary, as does the amount of land required. But the BLM says that it is committed to building out renewable energy projects on public lands.

Fast track projects are described as those where the companies involved have shown that they are ready to formally start the environmental review and public participation process. Streamlining the practice does not imply that the public interest is ignored. It simply means that developers have performed such preliminary duties as securing their financing agreements and completing their environmental impact analyses before they seek out regulatory approval.

he BLM, which manages a total of 253 million acres in 12 western states, has identified nearly 23 million acres of public land in six different southwestern states with solar potential. It has also selected more than 20 million acres of public land in 11 western states with wind capabilities. The list includes -- all of which have been winnowed down from 470 applications -- BrightSource Energy's Ivanpah, Duke Energy's Searchlight and Iberdrola's Tule Wind Project.

Bull's Eye

Take BrightSource's project that has been in the planning for more than two years and which would require 400,000 mirrors to be located on pristine land in the California desert: While the location has near-perfect conditions for generating and transmitting solar power, government scientists have said the facility would harm 6-square miles of land and in doing so, kill off wildlife there.

Environmental groups say that the solar project is worthy but want it moved to a different location. Groups such as the Wilderness Society say that brownfield sites are better. It notes that while public lands have a role to play in harnessing the nation's solar power, many of those areas may be ill-suited for such purposes because of their unmatched ecological and lifestyle qualities.

"In California, the Mojave Desert is already the scene of intense interest from energy companies and a land rush to apply for solar leases," says Alex Daue of the Wilderness Society. "Environmentalists are monitoring maps so that leasing doesn't take place in wilderness, areas of importance for wildlife and other resources, and high-value recreation sites."

The BLM responds by saying that its functions extend beyond managing energy production. It also involves overseeing livestock grazing, recreational use and mineral development. As such, it considers all natural, historical and cultural implications.

But does the development of renewable energy projects on public lands run afoul of that mission? The Obama and Bush administrations both agree that any conflicts can be properly managed. But the current White House is more determined: The 14 solar projects now on "fast track" are just a start. More are coming, it says, noting that it has a "bull's eye" on building out large-scale deals on public lands.

The Western Business Roundtable is trying to instill a sense of urgency. Jim Sims, co-founder of the Geothermal Energy Association and the current roundtable president, told Congress that its goal of increasing the nation's renewable generation portfolio would fail unless it took immediate action to expand the transmission system.

"America's high-voltage transmission systems are stressed already," says Sims. "Adding a lot more of renewable power to the grid, which virtually everyone supports, is going to stress grids even further, given that renewables inject highly variable power flows on a system that wasn't built to handle a lot of variable flows."

Fast tracking the permitting process is not without controversy. The perception is that such "preferences" lead to other inequities, although the facts do not necessarily back that up. While the process is usually streamlined to avoid duplicative efforts, it remains rigorous and thorough. Green energy is now favored. But it is not expected to receive any special treatment.

 

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