The Bureau of Land Management has reversed course on a proposed moratorium on the construction of solar projects on public land.
"The agency suggested its change of course is an example of its ability to nimbly respond to public outcry."
"'We heard the concerns expressed during the (public meetings) about waiting to consider new applications and we are taking action,' BLM Director James Caswell said in a statement Wednesday."
"But the more complete back story is that the agency - operating under an administration focused on the pursuit of oil and gas - did not consider that the nascent solar industry had friends in high places, including Congress, and bowed to external political pressure."
"The reversal came two weeks after Sen. Harry Reid learned from a Las Vegas Sun article that the BLM was implementing a 22-month freeze on solar projects. He immediately vowed to fight it, referring to it only as a 'proposed delay.'"
"The onslaught of media and political attention that followed made the moratorium all but unsustainable."
FULL STORY: Sun shines on solar again
Western Solar Plan Charts Course for Development on Public Lands
The BLM’s proposed maps could open up as much as 55 million acres to solar installations.
World's Largest Concentrating Solar-Thermal Plant Plan a No-Go
Developers have withdrawn an application to build the world's largest concentrating solar-thermal power facility.
New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
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EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.
BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.
The New Parisian Hearse is a Bicycle
Sleek, silent, and sustainable, a green trip to the graveyard has hit the streets of the French capital.
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