Solar Energy and the California Desert

Solar Energy and the California Desert

San Diego Solar Conference Marriott Mission Valley September 29, 2009

Bureau of Land Management - California

Public Lands Managed by BLM


The Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976

California Desert District History


California Desert Conservation Area

• Congress declared policy• Retain public lands in Federal ownership• Manage lands for multiple use and sustained yield• Prepare land-use plans• Protect quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air, water, and archeological values

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976



• Provide food and habitat for fish and wildlife• Provide for recreation, human occupancy, and use• Manage lands in a manner that recognizes the nation’s need for domestic sources of minerals, food, timber, and fiber

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976


Other GovernmentalReviews/Laws

CulturalResources

Recreation

Energy Development

DecisionsLivestockGrazing

Wildlife &

Vegetation

Wilderness

Geology-EnergyMinerals

Native American

Values

Motorized-Vehicle Access

Wild Horse&

Burros

Multiple-Use Considerations

Energy Production & Utility Corridors


Designated by Congress as a

Conservation Area, this 25 million-acre expanse

covers most of southeastern California

-- almost a quarter of the entire state. Nearly half of its acreage is a desert conservation

showcase managed by the Bureau of Land

Management (BLM).

California Desert District




California Desert Protection Act of 1994 designated wilderness in the CDCA

Established Mojave National Preserve from BLM East Mojave National Scenic Area

Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Monuments expanded and made National Parks

California Desert District


California Desert Conservation Area Plan – 1980

- 25+ million acres / BLM manages about 11 million acres

Northern and Eastern Mojave Desert (NEMO) Plan

- 2.7 million acres public land / Decision signed 2002

Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert (NECO) Plan


West Mojave (WEMO) Plan


Coachella Valley Plan


South Coast Resource Management Plan revision

- 130,000 acres public land / Draft in preparation

Eastern San Diego Resource Management Plan

- 103,000 acres public land / Decision signed 2008

Planning HistoryCDD Management Issues


Wilderness legislation, planning decisions and policy restrict solar

development:

Plan Decisions & Congressional Designations

• Wilderness areas (3.57 million acres)• Wilderness study areas (300,000 acres)• ACECs (90)• DWMAS (3.1 million acres)• Habitat Conservation Area (1.6 million acres)• Lands acquired or donated for conservation

purposes (approx 600,000 acres)


Basic Land Status


The Mojave Desert is a unique resource 300-330 cloudless days per year with level land at a high

elevation Close to 25 million electricity consumers

Solar Potential

Why Here … Why Now?


California Renewable Energy

2002: Senate Bill 1078 establishes the Renewable Portfolio Standard Program (RPSP), requiring 20% renewables by 2020

2006: Senate Bill 107 accelerated the 20% requirement to 2010

2008: Governor issues Executive Order S-14-08 requiring 33% renewables by 2020

Energy Policy Act of 2005 directed Secretaries of Interior and Energy to develop renewable energy projects on public lands with a generating capacity of at least 10,000 megawatts by 2015

2009: Dept. of the Interior Secretarial Order #3289

declares renewable energy as top priority


Beginning in 2005, CDD has received numerous applications for solar energy development,

prompting the need to address applications in a coordinated and

consistent district-wide manner

Currently, 63 applicants first in line with 23 second in line

Renewable Energy Applications


District-wide Application Locations


First generation commercial-scale solar projects

Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)

Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

California Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI)

Concurrent Planning Efforts


First Generation Solar Projects

Processing 10 applications with a total

megawatt capacity of 4,863 Megawatts

Targeting decisions by November 2010 to enable applicants to qualify for ARRA funding


Solar PEIS

Scoping period closed Sept. 14 regarding

solar energy study areas to be analyzed. Proposal was for 24 study areas nationally – four in California

Draft EIS scheduled to be released in June or July of 2010


Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

Comprehensive planning system

Streamline compliance

Balance projects with ecosystem protection

Identify independent science process

Identify areas for project development

Identify areas intended for conservation

Include Federal partners- BLM and FWS


Transmission

Westwide Energy Corridor PEIS

Sunrise Powerlink

DVP II

Barren Ridge

Greenpath

Blythe


so·lar Pronunciation: \ˈsō-lər, -ˌlär\ Etymology: Middle English, 15th century1 : of, derived from, relating to, The California Desert

Solar Energy and the California Desert

Technology

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