Bureau of Land Management leases public lands for renewable energy development
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SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management announced today it has leased eight parcels, covering approximately 21,685 acres of public land in a geothermal lease sale for development of clean, renewable energy for communities in Beaver and Millard counties. The April 12, 2022, competitive sale generated $794,028 for leases of public land parcels managed by the BLM Cedar City and Fillmore field offices. As highlighted within the Interior Department Outlines Roadmap for Continued Renewable Energy Progress on Public Lands news release, this is part of the BLM’s efforts to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind and geothermal production on public lands by 2025 in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.
“BLM Utah is committed to processing applications and leases for generating renewable energy on public lands, which provides jobs and generates electricity for our homes,” said BLM Cedar City Field Manager Paul Briggs. “We will continue to work closely with our partners, Tribes, communities, and local governments to ensure any energy development maximizes efficiencies and minimizes environmental impacts for the benefit of current and future generations.”
An additional three parcels, roughly 9,791 acres, in Fillmore and Millard counties have been leased by non-competitive sale. The Competitive Lease Sale summary and results, list of registered bidders, and parcel descriptions are available on the BLM Utah geothermal energy website at https://go.usa.gov/xuBSg. Environmental planning documents, including maps and stipulations from the respective BLM resource management plans are available on the ePlanning website at https://bit.ly/34eBov6.
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 and new transmission routes to connect into the grid.
Geothermal was the first renewable energy the BLM approved for production on public lands, with the first geothermal project approved in 1978. Replenished by heat sources deep in the Earth, geothermal energy is a renewable resource that generates electricity with minimal carbon emissions up to 24 hours per day. Learn more at https://go.usa.gov/xuBf2.
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.