State and federal officials in California announced a new plan to guide renewable energy development in the state's deserts, the Press Enterprise reports, with the completion of the first phase of the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan (DRECP) and the release of its final environmental impact statement (EIS) and land use plan amendment. The plan designates preferable areas for renewables development.
The DRECP streamlines permitting and proposes financial incentives for solar, wind, and geothermal developers that build in preferred areas. Projects would still undergo state and federal environmental reviews.
The DRECP area includes known geothermal energy resources around the Salton Sea in Imperial Valley.