A month ago the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said that it was putting a freeze on new applications for solar projects on publicly owned lands in six Western states, while it conducts an extensive assessment into the environmental, social and economic impacts of such projects.
The solar industry is opposed to the freeze and claims the assessment period, which could last up to two years, could significantly damage the growing industry.
The BLM said it will only consider the 125 applications it has already received for projects in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
The potential combined power generation of these projects is roughly 70 billion watts–enough electricity to power about 20 million homes.
"We think it’s ludicrous that the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) will put a moratorium on new projects when they haven’t processed a single one," Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industry Association, told reporters during a conference call on Monday.
For more on this story, read "U.S. Solar Energy Industry Blasts Government Move."
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