BLM seeks public input on proposed solar transmission line
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PHOENIX — The Bureau of Land Management seeks public input on a proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line crossing public lands about 60 miles west of Phoenix in Maricopa County. If approved, the transmission line would support the delivery of utility-scale solar energy into the grid. The BLM’s Lower Sonoran Field Office has issued a draft environmental assessment for a 30-day public comment period.
HV Sunrise, LLC has requested a 30-year right-of-way grant to construct, operate, maintain, and eventually decommission the transmission interconnection line. The environmental assessment evaluates potential routes on BLM lands with lengths between 1.0 and 1.4 miles. The proposed transmission line would connect the solar generation facility to the existing Delaney substation, both of which are on private lands.
Draft documents and a project map are available online for public review and comment. Interested parties may also submit comments via mail to the BLM Arizona State Office, Attn: Celina Martinez, 1 N. Central Ave. Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Public comments will be accepted until April 13, 2022.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands that have the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. To promote the development of these energy sources, the BLM provides sites for environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public lands. The efficient deployment of renewable energy from our nation’s public lands is crucial in achieving the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, as well as Congress’ direction in the Energy Act of 2020 to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.