BLM releases final environmental analysis for Jove Solar Project
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PHOENIX — The Bureau of Land Management today released the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Jove Solar Project, which if approved could generate up to 600 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power roughly 180,000 homes.
Jove Solar, LLC, proposes to construct, operate, maintain, and eventually decommission a utility-scale solar facility and potential battery energy storage system on approximately 3,495 acres of public land and 38 acres of county lands in La Paz County. The project would connect to the 500-kilovolt Cielo Azul switching station and Ten West Link transmission line. The BLM’s preferred alternative would avoid construction within the desert wash that crosses the project, preserve the channel floodplain, maintain wildlife habitat connectivity, and avoid areas of environmental sensitivity.
“The BLM supports efficient development of renewable energy on our nation’s public lands to reach the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035,” said Ray Castro, BLM Yuma field manager. “We will continue to engage with Tribal, federal, state, and local governments, local communities, stakeholder groups, and industry as this project moves toward implementation.”
A Notice of Availability will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register. Project information is available at the BLM National NEPA Register.
The Biden-Harris administration has approved 42 renewable energy projects on public lands (10 solar, 14 geothermal, and 18 gen-ties) and exceeded the goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025. The BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of more than 32 gigawatts of power – enough to power more than 15 million homes. This year BLM also 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.
For more information, please contact Project Manager Derek Eysenbach at deysenbach@blm.gov or 602-417-9505.
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.