Parks Group welcomes Western Solar Plan, calls for responsible development to protect national parks and surrounding landscapes

WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released an updated Western Solar Plan proposal that will guide future large-scale solar energy projects on public lands across the Western United States, including areas near national parks.

The BLM’s Western Solar Plan, or Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for solar energy development, will help establish the “what,” “how,” and “where” of new large-scale energy projects and take steps to balance our energy needs with landscape and habitat conservation priorities.

The plan’s impacts extend beyond BLM-managed lands, affecting 80 immediately adjacent national parks and countless communities.

Today’s release will be followed by a 30-day protest period and a 60-day consistency review by the Governor, after which the BLM will issue a Record of Decision on the Western Solar Plan.

Statement from Matt Kirby, Senior Director of Energy and Landscape Conservation at the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA):

“We see the dramatic impacts of climate change on our national parks every day. That’s why we need a transition to renewable energy that ensures solar development is implemented quickly and where it makes the most sense, minimizing harm to national parks and the communities they support.

“We congratulate the BLM for expanding the Western Solar Plan across the western U.S. and working to integrate our public lands into the climate solution. By prioritizing responsible solar development, we have a real chance to take climate action and protect our natural heritage, ensuring a sustainable future for our parks and the planet.

“We look forward to continuing to work with BLM to guide implementation of this plan, ensuring that development is appropriately sited to avoid industrialization of landscapes critical to wildlife, biodiversity, and national park enjoyment.

“As we move forward, the NPCA urges the BLM to work closely with the National Park Service and nearby communities at every stage to ensure that key landscapes are excluded from development and projects are appropriately sited.

“NPCA is committed to protecting our park system, inside and out, so that healthy landscapes and wildlife can thrive in the face of climate change. We will continue to work with communities, policymakers, federal agencies and the Administration to advance renewable energy policy and balance energy development with environmental priorities.”

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About the Association for the Protection of National Parks: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been a leading voice in protecting our national parks. Together, the NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspiring places for generations to come. For more information, visit www.npca.org.