Biden administration finalizes plan to expedite permitting and expand solar on western public lands

The Biden administration has updated plans to expand solar energy on public lands in 11 western states. Originally unveiled in January, the administration has been working to iron out the details of a proposal for solar energy projects on public lands–as a part of the larger executive push to reach national clean energy goals and long-term energy security.

The latest version of the plan increased the number of states involved from six to eleven, adding Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming to the original six western states. The finalized proposal also identifies 31 million acres of government-owned land across the 11 states which are available for the project. 

The Bureau of Land Management has located areas where solar development will be cost-effective and pose little environmental risk: targeting areas with accessible high-voltage power lines while minimizing conservation concerns. 

“The administration’s proposal serves as a positive example of effective solar planning that engages new geographical areas and sidesteps red tape,” said Evan Jones, Go Solar Associate for Environment America Research & Policy Center. “Continued solar development is essential to a clean energy future–and effectively navigating the planning and permitting processes helps narrow the gap between our present and that future.”