For the first time ever solar companies are going to have a chance to bid on our public lands, just like oil and gas and mining companies do.
And the good news doesn’t end there.
Back in July, as part of President Obama’s plan to reduce carbon emissions, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) withdrew 303,900 acres of public lands from new mining claims for 20 years.
As a result, I present to you the solar double-whammy.
Whammy 1 – mining, which is otherwise given preference over all other uses of public lands under the 1872 Mining Law, (in this one instance) takes a back seat to solar thanks to the Obama Administration.
Whammy 2 – solar, and not oil and gas, is given the opportunity to bid on this land and develop it with real renewable energy.
The result: the BLM estimates that developing these public lands with solar will generate enough energy to power 7 million homes.
I already power my apartment with renewable energy thanks to Earthworks’ partnership with Ethical Electric (and you can too), so that means there will be at least 7 million and one homes powered by renewables.
Who’s with me!?
