BLM to hold public scoping meetings for the proposed Jove Solar Project
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LA PAZ COUNTY, Ariz. — The Bureau of Land Management announces two public meetings to solicit public comments and identify issues for the Jove Solar Project on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, from 5-7 p.m. at Tonopah Valley High School and on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. online. The same material will be presented at both meetings. A link to register for the online meeting will be provided on the project ePlanning website soon.
The project would be located in southeastern La Paz County, Arizona, about 85 miles west of Phoenix, and would produce up to 600 megawatts of energy from solar photovoltaic modules on 3,495 acres of public lands managed by the BLM and 38 acres of La Paz County land. It would connect into the regional transmission system via the planned and approved Cielo Azul 500-kilovolt switching station and Ten West Link 500-kV transmission line (construction pending). The project location was selected based on numerous factors, especially the area’s frequent clear skies, high solar resource, and access to electric transmission.
The BLM Yuma Field Office published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022, a Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement to analyze the potential environmental effects of the proposed project. The notice initiated formal scoping and a two-year mineral segregation.
The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands that have the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. To promote our clean energy goals, the BLM provides sites for environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public lands. These efforts to deploy renewable energy from our nation’s public lands support the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, as well as Congress’ direction in the Energy Act of 2020 to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025.
Project information including maps and an online commenting tool may be accessed on the project’s ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2017881/510. The website will be updated at each phase of the environmental impact statement development.
Written comments are encouraged and may be submitted through February 1, 2023. Comments may be submitted by emailing them to BLM_AZ_CRD_Solar@blm.gov; by mailing comments to the BLM Yuma Field Office, Attn: Jove Solar EIS – Public Comment, 7341 E 30th St., Suite A, Yuma, AZ 85365-6525; or by fax at 928-317-3250. You can also submit comments via the project ePlanning website (URL is in the above paragraph). For further information, or to request reasonable accommodations for the public meetings, please contact Rod Crum, BLM Colorado River District Office at 928-505-1225.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.