Via WFB

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) designated over 50 million acres of public land available for solar development in Nevada, including nearly all of Bunkerville, the home of the Bundy Ranch.

A map of “Proposed Solar Energy Zones” prepared by the federal agency in 2010 revealed that the government deemed over 70 percent of Nevada open to applications to lease public lands for solar projects.

According to the document, 9.6 million acres were available for applications through the “Solar Development Program,” and an additional 40.8 million acres were available, though no action had been taken. The accessible land totals 50.4 million acres, or 71.7 percent of Nevada, which spans 70.3 million acres.

President Barack Obama has prioritized using public lands for green energy projects.

“When President Obama took office, there were no solar projects permitted on public lands,” the Interior Department said in July 2012, announcing a “roadmap” for the development of more than a dozen solar plants. “Since 2009, Interior has approved 17 utility-scale solar energy projects that, when built, will produce nearly 5,900 megawatts of energy—enough to power approximately 1.8 million American homes.”

“Thanks to steps already taken by this administration, renewable energy from sources such as wind and solar have doubled since the president took office,” they said.

The administration said that over 19 million acres of public lands managed by the BLM have “excellent solar energy potential” in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.

The Solar Energy Zones (SEZ) map preceded the final “Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement” (PEIS) for solar development in six southwestern states in 2012, which outlined an “initial set” of 17 projects on 285,000 acres of public lands.

BLM spokesman Craig Leff said there is “no connection” between the impoundment of Bundy’s cattle and solar energy development in Nevada.

Keep reading--http://weaselzippers.us/183927-blm-desig...ment-in-nevada/