The solar energy study areas — located in Utah, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico and outlined in maps to be published in the Federal Register today — encompass about 670,000 acres. Only lands with "excellent" solar resources, suitable slope, proximity to roads and transmission lines or designated corridors, and containing at least 2,000 acres of public lands were considered for solar energy study areas, according to a press release.

Sensitive lands, wilderness and other high conservation value lands as well as lands with conflicting uses were excluded.

An ongoing federally funded environmental evaluation of potential solar energy development on public lands in six Western states known as the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, or PEIS, will be expanded to include an in-depth analysis of the potential impacts of utility-scale solar energy development on public lands in the 24 solar energy study areas.

The expanded evaluation, a collaborative effort with the Department of Energy, will allow the BLM to take a close look at each study area to determine where it makes sense to develop large-scale solar projects without adverse environmental impacts.

Companies proposing solar energy projects in designated areas would be able to "tier" to this study, using it as part of their environmental impact studies for site specific projects, which are required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

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