The Trump administration is looking to impose additional restrictions on the development of solar and wind energy on federal lands.
A memo shared late last week outlined plans to block certain projects that occupy large areas, arguing that utilizing wind and solar for energy is “a highly inefficient use of federal land.”
The memo stated that energy projects would only be approved if they are deemed the most suitable land use relative to a reasonable range of alternative projects.
As part of this effort, a report will be prepared to determine the necessary actions moving forward.
According to Doug Burgham, the Secretary of the Interior, this approach is meant to ensure that America can achieve energy dominance while being mindful of taxpayers and environmental concerns.
The renewable energy sector has pushed back against these efforts, indicating that they could significantly impact the expansion of wind and solar on public lands.
“Depending on the implementation, this could greatly hinder new projects,” noted Gene Grace, an advisor for the American Clean Power Association, which advocates for renewable energy.
John Hensley, the association’s senior vice president of market and policy analysis, mentioned that while wind and solar projects can cover large areas, that doesn’t necessarily equate to environmental harm.
“Although the total footprint of wind and solar projects is extensive, only a small part of that land is rendered unusable,” Hensley explained, emphasizing the efficiency of wind energy given the land actually affected compared to the overall project size.
This move is part of a broader set of actions by the Trump administration to challenge renewable energy initiatives, including recent tax credit cuts for these energy sources.
The memo indicated that future wind projects might be excluded from consideration and that review processes promoting such energy sources would likely face delays.
