The US Government has placed a moratorium on all new solar projects on public lands citing (get this) environmental concerns. The Federal Bureau of Land Management says a two year study of the potential environmental impact solar plants could have on public lands is needed before any new work on production facilities can proceed.

The decision by the Bureau which came down in late May has caused much consternation in the fledgling solar power industry, where fears are growing that the government is hobbling the industry and its access to empty, sunny public lands of the West and Southwest, just when the appetite for clean, renewable alternative energy sources such as solar is taking off.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Holly Gordon, vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs for solar thermal energy company Ausra, told the New York Times, “The Bureau of Land Management land has some of the best solar resources in the world. This could completely stunt the growth of the industry.”

While solar energy industry executives agree that careful environmental assessments need to be done at each solar energy production site, they disagree with the need for a moratorium on development while the government works its way through what is thought to be an excessive waiting time - particularly given current oil prices, global warming, and the coming advent of plug in cars which will need more electricity. The moratorium could effect production facilities on 1 million acres of public land, enough to power up 20 million American homes.

In a further blow to the solar energy industry the US Congress has been lollygagging when it comes to extending a valuable investment tax credit which solar energy industry experts say is essential to spurring billions of dollars in investment in the industry. The Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit is set to expire at the end of 2008.

You can takepart in ensuring the United States is maximizing its efforts to capitalize on clean, renewable solar energy on public lands by relaying a public comment to the Bureau of Land Management on their Solar Energy Development website. You can also contact your Senator or Representative regarding both the Bureau of Land Management issue and the extension of the Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit.

LINKS:

NY Times: Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. freezes Solar Energy Projects

The Economist: Freezing the Sun

Bureau of Land Management: BLM Initiates Environmental Analysis of Solar Energy Development