Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A list of frequently asked questions about the Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about the Solar Energy Development PEIS. Click a question below to see the answer.
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What is an EIS?
"EIS" is the abbreviation for environmental impact statement, a document prepared to describe the effects of proposed activities on the environment. "Environment," in this case, is defined as the natural and physical environment and the relationship of people with that environment. This means that the "environment" considered in an EIS includes land; water; air; structures; living organisms; environmental values at the site; and social, cultural, and economic factors.
An "impact" is a change or consequence that results from an activity. Impacts can be positive or negative, or both. An EIS describes impacts, as well as ways to "mitigate" impacts. To "mitigate" means to lessen or remove negative impacts.
Therefore, an EIS is a document that describes the impacts on the environment as a result of a proposed action. It also describes impacts of alternatives, as well as plans to mitigate the impacts.
For more information on the Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS, visit About the EIS.
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What is a Programmatic EIS?
A Programmatic EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of broad agency actions, such as the development of programs or the setting of national policies.
For more information on the Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS, visit About the Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS.
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Why Are the Agencies completing a Programmatic EIS?
The PEIS is being prepared to meet the requirements established by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. A Programmatic EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of broad agency actions, such as the development of programs or the setting of national policies. Development of specific agency-wide solar energy programs and additional related policy will involve the proposed amendment of land use plans and would establish environmental policies and mitigation strategies to be considered in making decisions on whether to fund projects or guarantee loans for the deployment of solar energy projects on BLM-administered lands or other Federal, State, tribal, or private lands. The BLM would establish its own environmental policies and mitigation strategies to use when making decisions on whether to issue rights-of-way for utility-scale solar energy development projects on public lands administered by the BLM. Therefore, the proposed action will define and implement programs that sets the stage for potential site-specific actions that might result in significant impacts on the environment, and thus a programmatic EIS is appropriate.
NEW! In response to Secretarial Order No. 3285 (issued March 11, 2009 by the Secretary of the Interior), the BLM is soliciting public comments on 24 tracts of BLM-administered land to receive in-depth study for solar development in the PEIS. Secretarial Order No. 3285 announced a policy goal of identifying and prioritizing specific locations best suited for large-scale production of solar energy.
For more information on this topic, visit Why the Programmatic EIS Is Needed.
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Why is the Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS Needed?
The DOE proposes to develop and implement a solar energy deployment program within the EERE Solar Energy Technologies Program that would establish environmental policies and mitigation strategies to be considered in making decisions on whether to fund projects or guarantee loans for the deployment of solar energy projects on BLM-administered lands or other Federal, State, tribal, or private lands. The BLM would establish its own environmental policies and mitigation strategies to use when making decisions on whether to issue rights-of-way for utility-scale solar energy development projects on public lands administered by the BLM.
Federal laws and regulations require the federal government to evaluate the effects of its actions on the environment and to consider alternative courses of action. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321), as amended, specifies when an environmental impact statement (EIS) must be prepared. NEPA requires that an EIS be prepared for major federal actions with the potential for significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
The Agencies have determined that the establishment of specific agency-wide solar energy programs and additional related policy constitute major Federal actions as defined by the NEPA and, thus, they have decided to jointly prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS).
For more information, visit Why the PEIS Is Needed.
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What is the Solar PEIS?
The Solar PEIS is one of several on-going DOI initiatives in support of the President's New Energy for America Plan that sets a target of ensuring that 10 percent of U.S. electricity is generated from renewable sources by 2010, rising to 25 percent by 2025. The Solar PEIS is a thoughtful process that will examine landscapes within the BLM-managed National System of Public Lands that have high solar energy potential, analyzing alternatives that could facilitate environmentally responsible solar energy development.
The Solar PEIS also will examine the environmental effects of all solar energy technologies that are ready for deployment at utility-scale. A utility-scale project is that which is capable of producing 10 or more megawatts of electricity for distribution to customers through the electricity transmission grid system.
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What is the scope of the analysis in the Solar Energy Development PEIS?
The proposed action in the PEIS is for the Agencies to develop and implement agency-specific programs that would facilitate environmentally responsible utility-scale solar energy development by establishing environmental policies and mitigation strategies related to solar energy development in six western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah). The study area has been limited to these six states because they encompass the most prospective solar energy resources suitable for utility-scale development over the next 20 years.
For more information, visit What's In the Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS.
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Which lands are included in the scope of the PEIS?
The PEIS will analyze potential impacts of utility-scale solar energy development on appropriate BLM-administered lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The PEIS will not include lands within the National Landscape Conservation System, and also will not include lands that the BLM has previously identified in its land use plans as environmentally sensitive, such as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern or other special management areas, that are inappropriate for or inconsistent with extensive, surface- disturbing uses.
NEW! The PEIS will also include in-depth study for solar development of several tracts of BLM-administered lands in each of the six states.
Maps of the solar energy resources included in the 6-state study area and of the solar energy study areas are available.
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Will the PEIS include the California Desert Conservation Area?
The PEIS will include those lands within the California Desert Conservation Areas (CDCA) which are open to solar energy development in accordance with the provisions of the California Desert Conservation Area Plan 1980, as amended. The PEIS will not include lands within the CDCA that have other special designations, such as National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Historic and Scenic Trails, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, or other special management areas that are inappropriate for or inconsistent with extensive, surface-disturbing uses.
Maps of the solar energy resources included in the study area are available.
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What are land use plans?
A land use plan is a set of decisions that establish management direction for land within a BLM administrative area, as prescribed under the planning provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA); it is an assimilation of land-use-plan-level decisions developed through the planning process outlined in 43 CFR 1600, regardless of the scale at which the decisions were developed. The term includes both resource management plans (RMPs) and management framework plans (MFPs). Land use plan decisions establish desired outcomes and actions needed to achieve them. Decisions are made using the planning process defined in 43 CFR Part 1600.
The land use planning process is the key tool that the BLM uses to protect resources and designate uses on BLM-administered lands. These plans help ensure that the public lands are managed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield, recognizing the Nation's need for domestic sources of minerals, food, timber, and fiber while protecting the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water, and archaeological values.
For more information on this topic, visit RMPs and BLM Planning Criteria.
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What alternatives will be analyzed in the Solar Energy Development PEIS?
NEW! Two alternatives are planned for consideration in the PEIS, a no action alternative and a program development alternative. For the Program Development alternative, the Agencies will create a reasonably foreseeable development (RFD) scenario to define the potential for future utility-scale solar energy development activities over a 20-year study period. For the BLM, this process will identify which BLM land use plans might be amended. The Program Development alternative will include the designation of some areas as solar energy zones.
For more information, visit What's in the Solar Energy Development PEIS.
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What is BLM's preferred alternative?
The BLM's preferred alternative will be identified as we move forward with the EIS process.
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What solar energy technologies are analyzed in the PEIS?
The PEIS will analyze potential environmental impacts associated with the development, operation, and decommissioning of utility-scale solar energy projects; i.e. solar energy projects that can generate large amounts of electricity to be put directly into the electricity transmission grid. The following technologies will be included in the PEIS analysis:
- Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
- trough (including with Fresnel lens)
- dish
- tower
- Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV)
- Flat panel Photovoltaic (PV)
See the Utility-Scale Solar Energy and Electric Transmission Guide for more information about these utility-scale solar energy technologies.
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What impacts and issues are addressed in the PEIS?
The Agencies are soliciting comments and suggestions for consideration in the preparation of the PEIS. Preliminary issues and management concerns associated with utility-scale solar energy development have been identified by Agency personnel, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals and user groups.
As currently envisioned, the PEIS will evaluate direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts to:
- Land Use (such as proximity to wilderness or other special management areas)
- Soil and Geological Resources
- Water Resources
- Air Quality and Climate
- Acoustic Environment
- Ecological Resources (including threatened, endangered, and sensitive species)
- Visual Resources
- Paleontological and Cultural Resources
- Socioeconomic Resources
- Environmental Justice
- Transportation
- Hazardous Materials and Waste Management
- Health and Safety
For more information, visit What's in the Solar Energy Development PEIS.
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Where will copies of the Draft PEIS available?
When completed, the Draft PEIS will be viewable, printable and downloadable in electronic form (PDF) on this Web site on the Documents page.
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How can scoping comments on the PEIS be submitted?
Written comments may be submitted electronically, through this Web site using the online comment form; or by mail to:
BLM Solar Energy Development Draft Programmatic EIS Comments
9700 South Cass Avenue - EVS/900
Argonne IL 60439
Oral and written comments may also be submitted at the public scoping meetings.
For more information, visit Getting Involved.
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Are scoping comments available for public review?
Yes. Comments from the initial scoping period during Summer 2008 are posted on this Web site on the Search Scoping Comments page. Comments from the second scoping period regarding solar energy study areas will also be posted to this Web site after the close of the scoping period.
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When do the Agencies expect to publish a Final PEIS?
The number and nature of the comments received on the Draft EIS will largely determine the amount of time it will take to respond and to produce a Final PEIS.
For more information on the PEIS schedule, visit Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS Schedule.
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How will the public be involved with development projects on BLM lands after the PEIS is completed?
The public can become involved directly with individual development projects as they undergo site-specific environmental analyses.
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Didn't see your question here?
Additional questions and answers are available on BLM's web site. You may also contact us at solareiswebmaster@anl.gov. We'll do our best to answer your question.
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