The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public input on two large-scale solar projects.
The proposed Cowboy Solar project, which if approved could generate up to 200 MW of renewable energy plus battery storage on approximately 2,528 acres of public lands in Eddy County, New Mexico. The proposed Copper Rays Solar Project, could generate up to 700 MW of solar also with battery storage on about 4,414 acres of BLM land in Nye County, Nevada.
The BLM recently announced its proposed roadmap for solar energy development on public lands, designed to expand solar projects on public lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. More recently it was expanded to include Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. It would make over 31 million acres of public lands available for potential solar development.
The proposed Western Solar Plan is a step toward the goal of achieving a 100% clean electricity grid by 2035. Earlier this year, BLM surpassed the goal of permitting more than 25 GW of clean energy projects on public lands, and the updated Western Solar Plan will support continued progress on responsible permitting.
As of September 2024, the 41 renewable energy projects have been approved on public lands, ten of which are solar. All the projects together will generate approximately 29 GW of renewable energy, exceeding the goal to permit 25 GW of renewable energy by 2025. This year, the BLM issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.
Cowboy Solar
Cowboy Solar LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, will be seeking public comment from August 29, 2024 to Nov. 3, 2024. The developer will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 5 to 6 p.m. PDT, featuring a presentation on the proposed project, an overview of the analysis of land suitability, and a question-and-answer session. Register here.
The BLM will review the comments to help determine whether the project is viable to move forward. If the project moves forward, BLM will review the proposal through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to analyze potential impacts on public lands. This will include further opportunity for public involvement before any decisions are reached.
Draft planning documents are available at the BLM National NEPA Register. Comments should be submitted through the “Participate Now” option or can be delivered to the BLM Carlsbad Field Office at 620 E. Green St., Carlsbad, NM. 88220-6292. The comment period closes Nov. 3, 2024. For additional information about the project, please contact BLM Carlsbad Realty Specialist June Hernandez at 575-988-3226.
Copper Rays
Copper Rays Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE), proposes to construct, own, and operate the project. Construction of the Copper Rays project is estimated to take approximately 54-months over two phases, with the first phase beginning in Jan. 2026, pending approval. The project is anticipated to create 300 construction jobs during phase 1 construction, and approximately 400 construction jobs during phase 2 construction.
BLM
The 90-day comment period on the Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) opened Sept. 19, 2023 and will close December 19, 2024.
BLM will host one virtual and one in-person public meeting. The virtual meeting will take place on October 24, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. PDT. Register here. The in-person meeting will take place in Pahrump, Nevada on October 22, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. PDT at the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino, 681 NV-160.
Interested parties may mail written comments to the BLM Pahrump Field Office, Attn: Copper Rays Solar Project, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nev. 89130 or email comments to BLM_NV_SND_EnergyProjects@blm.gov. Comments may also be submitted using the “Participate Now” function at the BLM National NEPA Register.
BLM is using the NEPA process to comply with the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. BLM has incorporated the Section 106 process into the draft EIS, and we encourage consulting parties and the public to review and comment on the process.
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