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| Contacts: | David Quick | , 202-912-7413 | ||
| Linda Resseguie | , 202-912-7337 |
BLM Announces Solar Energy Rental Rates
In support of the President’s energy strategy that calls for rapid development of renewable energy, particularly on U.S. public lands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released a rental schedule for solar energy right-of-way authorizations on the public lands. “Publishing this rental schedule moves our nation closer to creating a new energy frontier – one that relies more on renewable, clean energy sources,” BLM Director Bob Abbey said. “Today, we are providing the solar energy industry the level of certainty it needs about the costs associated with projects on the public lands and ensuring a fair return to American taxpayers for the use of their public lands.”
The BLM is required by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to collect an annual rental payment for right-of-way authorizations on the public lands. FLPMA also requires that rents for these authorizations reflect the fair market value for the use of the public lands.
The solar rental schedule was developed based on review and analysis by the BLM, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of Energy of economic models comparing the effects various rental rates may have on different kinds of solar projects.
The “MW Capacity Fee” will be paid on an annual basis upon the start of generation of electricity from a facility, based on the MW-size of that facility. No “MW Capacity Fee” will be due until a facility is in operation.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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