Draft Environmental Impact Statement Focuses
on Wind Energy
Development on BLM–Administered Public Lands
WASHINGTON—Rebecca Watson, assistant secretary of the Interior
for Land and Minerals Management announced the availability of a Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development
on BLM-Administered Lands in the Western United States. The public is
invited to review the document and submit comments during the next 90
days.
“As we look closer to home for ways to help meet America’s
energy needs in an environmentally sound manner, it’s apparent that
our public lands have much to offer in terms of renewable energy resources,
including wind energy,” Watson said. “Our national energy
strategy includes not only enhancing supplies of renewable and nonrenewable
energy, but also places an important focus on conservation.”
The Draft Programmatic EIS was prepared:
- to assess the environmental, social and economic impacts associated
with wind energy development on public lands in 11 western states, and
- to evaluate a number of alternatives to determine the best management
approach to mitigating potential impacts and facilitating wind energy
development. The study does not include Alaska.
The Draft Programmatic EIS is in response to recommendations set forth
in the President’s National Energy Policy, which encourages the
development of renewable energy resources on public lands.
“We are working aggressively with communities and local officials
to promote and encourage the development and use of our domestic renewable
energy sources,” Watson said. “Our approach is consistent
with the President’s National Energy Policy for diversifying the
nation’s energy portfolio by encouraging the use of biomass, geothermal,
wind and solar energy on federally owned lands.”
The Draft Programmatic EIS is posted on the web at http://windeis.anl.gov.
Public comments are encouraged via the web. Written comments should be
mailed to BLM Wind Energy Programmatic EIS, Argonne National Laboratory,
EAS/900, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, IL 60439.
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