The Hill News

Right now, little debate exists in this country about the need to secure our energy independence â€" no matter where you sit in Congress or where you call home. We also generally agree that diversifying our portfolio of energy sources is a good idea. Developing renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar power is an increasingly critical part of this diverse portfolio, requiring our government to deliver on its “Smart from the Start” pledge for locating new energy projects and charting responsible development.
 
Solar development has the potential to supplement our nation’s growing energy needs and help states meet renewable energy standards. At the moment it currently provides less than 1 percent of the nation’s power, but the solar industry is thriving with the number of installations doubling each of the last two years.  We can and should produce solar energy on the many areas of this country that are perfectly suited for industrial solar dev! elopment.
 
But industrial development on public lands can reduce access to hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities. Poorly planned solar development can severely impact critical habitat for game species, like mule deer, that sportsmen have valued for generations. That is why it is so important that Federal land managers with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) address this great challenge by developing and finalizing a reasonable policy to guide large industrial solar facilities to Solar Energy Zones where they will have minimal impact on other uses and resources of public lands.

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