News.bytes Extra, issue 358

BLM-California State Director Mike Pool's remarks at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding - between the State of California and federal agencies including the BLM - to coordinate and speed permits for renewable energy projects. Numerous officials gathered as California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also signed Executive Order S-14-08 (to streamline California's renewable energy project approval process and increase the state's Renewable Energy Standard to 33 percent):

BLM-California State Director Mike Pool addresses the crowd

It is our pleasure to represent the U.S. BLM at this great ceremony today.

Here in California BLM oversees about 15 percent of the state and a significant portion of these public lands hold great promise for renewable energy development. The public lands here in California already produce substantial amounts of geothermal energy, enough to power about 500,000 homes and new developments are on the horizon. We have already authorized large wind energy developments, enough to power over 230,000 homes here in this state.

But these projects are just the beginning. We have experienced, over the past year or so, a tremendous interest in using these public lands for expanded wind energy and building new state-of-the-art solar facilities to tap the sun energy to power California's future. Much of this new demand and enthusiasm is clearly due to Governor Schwarzenegger's vision and setting ambitious renewable portfolio standards. These standards set high goals to generate more renewable energy from private, state and federal public lands here in California.

Reaching for these goals, aimed at making California a leader in reducing greenhouse gases to address climate change, calls for a great deal of cooperation among federal, state, local governments and private interests in California. BLM already enjoys a great working relationship with the Governor's Office, the California Resources Agency and other key departments in the energy and environmental protection areas.

Today we are honored to be here to witness the Governor's next big step forward for renewable energy here in California. We are pleased to be able to join with other federal and state agencies in a renewed commitment to increase our cooperation to meet the dual challenges of fostering renewable resource energy development while still protecting the lands, its wildlife and environment that make California so unique.

BLM-California State Director Mike Pool signs the MOU as Gov. Schwarzenegger and others look on

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mike Pool shake hands after the signing ceremony

Representatives of state at federal government agencies, industry and environmental groups, join the governor for the ceremony

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hosted the event

- Nov. 17, 2008

BLM-California News.bytes, issue 358