Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today appointed an energy and climate change task force to identify specific zones on U.S. public lands where large-scale production of solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy can be established. In a press release, Salazar emphasized the "need to work closely with other federal agencies, states and American Indian tribes to determine what electric transmission infrastructure and transmission corridors are needed to deliver these renewable resources to major population centers."
The release also stated that the Bureau of Land Management has identified about 21 million acres of public land with wind energy potential in the 11 western states and about 29 million acres with solar energy potential in the six southwestern states.
Salazar stated that a major function of the task force will be to "prioritize the permitting and appropriate environmental review of transmission rights-of-way applications that are necessary to deliver renewable energy generation to consumers." He also stated that the Interior Department plans to continue the development of oil and gas resources on public lands.
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