The area covered by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan includes the Coso and Salton Sea geothermal fields.
The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said Thursday it will consider amending a desert land use conservation plan, which could reopen millions of acres “to seek greater opportunities for renewable energy generation.”
BLM said it will open a 45-day public comment period on 10.8 million acres of BLM managed land for possible changes to the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The majority of that land is in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
The BLM said its action is in response to President Trump’s order to review regulations that unnecessarily impede energy development.
“We need to reduce burdens on all domestic energy development, including solar, wind and other renewables,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Katharine MacGregor. “This process will help us find ways to make more federal land available for renewable energy projects as well as wireless broadband infrastructure.”