Solar panels in California
Credit: Tom Brewster/BLM

If approved, this project could generate up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy and power 200,000 homes

August 14, 2021 - Palm Springs, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management invites the public to review the environmental analysis and land use plan amendment for a proposed 500-megwatt photovoltaic solar project on 2,700 acres of public lands near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County.

The efficient deployment of renewable energy from our nation’s public lands is crucial in achieving the Biden Administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. The proposed Oberon Solar project would be located within areas analyzed and identified as suitable for renewable energy development as part of BLM’s Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. 

The BLM will engage with tribal governments, local communities, state regulators, industry, and other Federal agencies as it evaluates this project. The public is invited to attend a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Participants must register for the Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82527207063. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with instructions, a link to join the meeting and phone numbers for those unable to join online. Zoom virtual meeting tutorials can be viewed at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-video-tutorials.

The public may submit written comments on the issues, potential impacts, alternatives, and mitigation measures presented in the EA by visiting the BLM’s ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xfdH5. The BLM will consider all substantive comments received by Tuesday, Sept. 14, in finalizing the EA.

For more information, please contact BLM project manager Brandon G. Anderson at 760-422-9120, or by email at bganderson@blm.gov.  
Source: BLM