By Art Mass

Two weeks ago we reported on the Bureau of Land Management’s big plan for Solar Energy Study Areas, totaling 670,000 acres, including 21,000 acres in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. The goal, according to the BLM,  is to speed project permitting for utility-scale solar power projects.

Now the Federal agency is asking for public comment on its proposed designation of federal acreage in Colorado and neighboring states, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.

Click here to download maps of the study areas in PDF format. to submit comments. The public comment period ends July 30.

Click here

The 24 tracts being considered for the Study Areas will be evaluated for their environmental and resource suitability for big photovoltaic systems installation.

The Colorado locations that are part of the study include De Tilla Gulch, Los Mogotes East, Antonito Southeast, and the Fourmile East areas in the southern part of the state, and they could generate up to 4,182 megawatts of solar power if fully developed, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. If areas are deemed suitable for large solar projects, then companies would have the option of building installations with a capacity of 10 megawatts or more. Companies proposing projects in these areas would be eligible for faster permit processing, according to Interior.

An in-depth environmental review is being paid for with funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, the BLM announcement noted. It said in June that 158 applications had already been received for solar projects on federal lands in the West.