Just weeks after issuing a moratorium on new solar projects located on public land, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has reversed its decision and will continue accepting applications for potential solar development on the acreage it oversees.
The BLM had originally issued the moratorium to allow the bureau to study potential solar projects' environmental impact on land in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
However, by virtue of pressure from the solar industry and members of Congress, the BLM reconsidered its policy and decided to process existing applications and accept new proposals in concert with ongoing environmental assessments.
‘We heard the concerns expressed during the scoping period about waiting to consider new applications, and we are taking action,’ commented BLM Director James Caswell, in a statement.
