WASHINGTON, August 6, 2021 – In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of tackling climate change and promoting renewable energy production, the Home Office today announced it is advancing three solar projects on 4,700 acres of public land in Riverside County, California.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today invited the public to review the draft environmental scan (EA) for the proposed Arica and Victory Pass solar projects, which would build solar PV projects that will generate a total of up to 265 megawatts of electricity with up to 200 megawatts of battery storage. Together, these renewable energy projects would result in an estimated combined infrastructure investment of $ 689 million, $ 5.9 million in annual operational economic benefits, and power approximately 132,000 homes.

The BLM also plans to make available in the coming days an EE project for a third project, the Oberon solar project. If approved, the proposed solar PV project on 2,700 acres of public land could generate up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy and power 200,000 homes. The information will be available on BLM’s ePlanning website when the comment period begins.

“Clean energy, including solar projects like these in California, will help communities across the country be part of the climate solution while creating well-paying union jobs,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “The ministry is proud to help lead the administration’s whole-of-government approach to its ambitious renewable energy goals, which will boost local economies and address economic and environmental injustices.”

In support of Presidential Executive Order 14008 from President Biden, the ministry has partnered with other federal agencies to increase renewable energy production on public lands and waters, including a commitment to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 and a target goal of licensing at least 25 gigawatts of onshore renewables by 2025.

The Arica, Victory Pass and Oberon solar projects are proposed for areas identified as suitable for the development of renewable energies under the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) focuses on 10.8 million acres of public land in the desert regions of seven counties in California. . The DRECP is a collaborative effort between the BLM, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Energy Commission, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Home Office recently approved the Southern Bighorn Solar Project and announced that construction on the Arrow Canyon Solar Project on Nevada Tribal Lands has started. These two projects will support more than 800 jobs and generate enough electricity to power up to 192,000 homes. In May, the ministry also approved the Crimson Solar Project in California, which will invest about $ 550 million and has the potential to provide enough electricity to power about 87,500 homes.

The Home Office and BLM will continue to work with tribal governments, local communities, state regulators, industry and other federal agencies when evaluating these projects.

For the Arica and Victory Pass projects, the public is invited to attend a virtual public meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 25. Participants must register through Zoom. The public can submit written comments on the issues, potential impacts, alternatives and mitigation measures presented in the Arica and Victory Pass EA by visiting the BLM’s ePlanning website. All substantive comments received by September 6, 2021 will be taken into account when finalizing the EA.