Federal and State Agencies Announce Additional Public Meeting for Draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced today the addition of a public meeting for the draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS). The additional meeting will be held Wednesday, November 19, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Joshua Tree Community Center, 6171 Sunburst St, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.
The additional meeting was added in response to requests from the public for an opportunity to obtain information and provide public comment on the draft plan. The meeting will include a presentation, information stations and an opportunity to submit recorded verbal and written comments. Please visit www.drecp.org for a detailed agenda and meeting information.
A series of 10 public meetings have been ongoing throughout the DRECP planning area and surrounding population centers since October 20, 2014.
The draft DRECP is an innovative renewable energy and conservation plan covering more than 22 million acres of land in Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. The draft is the result of collaboration among the BLM, FWS, CEC, CDFW and other stakeholders.
The draft plan proposes to protect areas in the California desert that are important for wildlife, recreation, cultural and other uses while also facilitating the timely permitting of solar, wind and geothermal energy projects and associated transmission in appropriate areas. The draft plan presents six alternative approaches for meeting renewable energy and conservation goals through 2040. Each alternative proposes a different conservation design and configuration of lands available for more efficient and predictable renewable energy project review. The draft plan also includes an analysis of the potential environmental impacts of these alternatives.
The DRECP's formal public comment period runs through January 9, 2015.
The draft DRECP EIR/EIS is available to review and download at www.drecp.org, and at local libraries and agency offices. A DVD will be provided upon request. To request a DVD, please send an email to drecp.info@energy.ca.gov or call (866) 674-9996 and provide a mailing address. For a list of local area libraries and agency offices that have the document on file (most are on DVD), please visit www.drecp.org/draftdrecp.
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.