Bureau of Land Management Wind Energy Applications and Training Symposium
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Washington, DC 20240
June 3, 2011
In Reply Refer To:
2800 (350) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 06/03/2011
Instruction Memo No. 2011-121
Expires: 09/30/2012
To: All Field Officials
From: Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management
Subject: Bureau of Land Management Wind Energy Applications and Training Symposium DD: 06/13/2011
Program Areas: Land, Realty, and Natural Resources.
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides information pertaining to two Wind Energy Applications and Training Symposiums that will be held from June 28-30, 2011, at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, and from October 25-28, 2011, in The Dalles, Oregon.
Policy/Action: The NREL and the Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), invite you to participate in a workshop developed by NREL specifically for BLM personnel processing wind energy applications. The workshop will cover a wide variety of technologies, impacts, and issues involved with wind farm development on BLM lands. The NREL staff will explain the technologies currently employed and provide insight about future trends of the wind industry. The BLM staff (from the Washington Office or field offices) will explain current Department of the Interior (DOI)/BLM policy regarding wind development on public lands, the right-of-way (ROW) process. A BLM Field Biologist or Environmental Specialist will provide insights on lessons learned from actual wind projects. Representatives from the wind industry, including developers and manufacturers, will describe project development, construction, operation, and maintenance of wind farms. The workshop in Golden, Colorado, will include a field visit to NREL’s turbine testing facilities where technologies that will be discussed during the symposium are studied. The workshop in The Dalles, Oregon, will include a field trip to a local wind farm at a location still to be determined.
Each of these sessions is open to 40 participants and selections will be based on the justifications submitted for each nominee as to his or her need to attend the course. Eligible candidates are Field Managers, Realty Specialists, Natural Resource Specialists, and Project Managers who are presently working on wind energy projects or site testing applications, or who anticipate doing so in the near future.
Although the Minerals and Realty Management Directorate (WO-300) will cover the cost of the registration fees for this course, travel and per diem will be paid by the nominee’s office. Each state should submit a consolidated list of nominees to the Wind Energy Program Lead, Casey Reeves, no later than June 13, 2011 for the session in Golden, Colorado, and October 3, 2011, for The Dalles, Oregon, session. The following information must be submitted for each nominee: name, title, address, phone, email, and justification as to why the nominee should attend the training. Upon selection, additional information will be sent to the participants including the agenda, time schedules, and accommodations. Any remaining slots not filled by BLM employees will be offered to other Federal agencies.
Timeframe: This IM is effective immediately. All nominations should be submitted to the Casey Reeves, Wind Energy Program Lead (WO-350), June 13, 2011, for the session in Golden, Colorado, and October 3, 2011, for The Dalles, Oregon, session.
Budget Impact: Travel and per diem will be paid by the office where the candidate is located.
Background: For over a decade, wind energy has been the fastest growing energy technology worldwide, achieving an annual growth rate of over 30 percent. In the United States, the current total installed capacity is approximately 41,000 megawatts from wind projects. There are some 30 approved projects on BLM public lands with a total authorized capacity of 790 megawatts and another 47 pending development applications. Secretary Salazar has made implementation of renewable energy resource development on public lands a high priority for all Interior agencies.
We remain committed to maintaining a current knowledge-base for BLM employees on this robust and still emerging renewable energy program, offering a proactive course for completing the multi-faceted requirements of processing applications, adhering to environmental requirements, and managing the urgent need to develop wind energy on BLM-administered lands. We appreciate your continued support and assistance.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.
Coordination: This IM was developed jointly by the Division of Lands, Realty and Cadastral Survey (WO-350) and representatives from NREL.
Contact: If you have any questions, please contact Michael Nedd, Assistant Director for the Minerals and Realty Management at 202-208-4201, or your staff may contact Ray Brady at 202-912-7312, or contact Casey Reeves, Wind Energy Program Lead, (WO-350), at 202-912-7503.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Kim Berns Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Minerals and Realty Management