Text of Director's Corner Video on Renewable Energy 

 

Hello. I'm Bob Abbey, Director of the Bureau of Land Management, and I'd like to talk to you about the role America's public lands can play in bringing us closer to a green energy future.

Under President Obama and Secretary Salazar, we are entering a New Energy Frontier for energy production and use in the United States. This is a time for America to use more efficiently the energy that comes from all sources.

The ongoing Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico underscores the urgency of developing a new green economy that will increasingly rely on renewable energy to help move us toward energy independence.

Until now, America's deserts, plains, and forests have been largely unexplored for their vast clean renewable energy potential. Renewable energy is in the news more and more every day, and the possibilities are immense. 

The clean-energy potential on America's public lands makes the development of solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy a vital part of an overall strategy to develop a diverse portfolio of domestic energy supplies for the future.

Solar radiation levels in the U.S. Southwest are some of the best in the world. The BLM manages 23 million acres of public lands with solar potential in 6 states - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

The BLM currently has 14 solar projects on track for approval by the end of 2010, making them eligible to receive economic stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects have a total potential capacity of over 6,000 megawatts, or enough to power roughly 1.8 million homes.

For anyone who has spent time in the West, you know how windy it can be! We want to harness that resource and the BLM manages 20.6 million acres of public lands with wind potential in 11 western states.

There are already 28 wind development projects on BLM lands with an installed capacity of 437 megawatts. Seven more wind projects are on track for approval by the end of 2010. These projects have a combined potential capacity of 800 megawatts, or enough to power roughly 280,000 homes.

Geothermal energy from the heat beneath the surface of the earth is another source of renewable energy found in abundance on the public lands.

About 1.3 million American homes are powered by the electricity generated from 35 geothermal power plants on public lands in California, Nevada, and Utah.

We are currently reviewing proposals for six geothermal projects on public land that could be approved by the end of 2010. Together, they have a potential capacity of 285 megawatts, or enough to power roughly 285,000 homes.

Public input is crucial as we work to increase the availability of the public lands for renewable energy development. We want to do things the right way, and for that we need your input.

We want to hear from you, particularly on these “fast track” renewable projects, many of which are in the comment period. I encourage you to visit the BLM web pages for Arizona, California, Nevada, and Oregon to find more details about how to comment on these renewable-energy projects.

We are focusing on these projects so they meet a December 2010 deadline for financial assistance under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. While we are moving these projects forward swiftly, it will not be at the expense of the environment. Each project is undergoing complete environmental review while moving through the permitting process.

Early next year, there will be another opportunity to get involved when we release a draft plan for the BLM's entire solar energy development program.

We will be posting full information on our website on how to share your views with us. I encourage you to take an active role and let your voice be heard.

 I don’t want to neglect traditional energy sources, which are also vital to our nation.

The BLM’s energy portfolio will continue to include the appropriate development of coal, oil, and natural gas resources on the National System of Public Lands.

Last year, coal production from 299 coal leases on federal lands managed by the BLM was valued at over $6 billion and generated nearly $700 million in revenue to American taxpayers.

And the BLM has already held 16 lease sales for onshore oil and gas development since the beginning of 2010. The 462 leases sold so far this year have generated nearly $130 million in revenue for American taxpayers.

 In June, the BLM held an oil and gas lease sale that yielded a record-breaking $34 million in competitive bids for 56 parcels of land covering nearly 7,000 acres in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

With all eyes on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it is important to remember that drilling safety is not just an offshore issue, and the BLM is stepping up efforts to oversee operations at onshore production sites for the Federal mineral estate. 

We recently sent out a reminder to our State and Field Offices to be vigilant in their safety inspections. For instance, they were told to ensure that blowout preventers are working properly and that drilling crews maintain records of blowout preventer testing. 

Our field inspection teams will also step up their recordkeeping, ensuring that all inspections are properly documented and safely stored in secure databases.

Many challenges face us as we work to move the United States closer to a New Energy Frontier. 

As an important player in providing domestic sources of energy, the BLM sees addressing these challenges as vital if our nation is going to meet its future energy needs and reduce its dependence on energy imports and fossil fuels. Thank you.