LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Department of Energy and the Bureau of Land Management have extended the public comment period on plans to study public land in six states to determine where solar power stations should be built.
The agencies said Monday that the public comment period has been extended 45 days and will end on Sept. 14.
Under a renewable energy initiative announced in late June by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, 24 tracts of land in six states - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah - would be evaluated for large-scale solar energy production.
The solar energy study areas cover about 670,000 acres. Sensitive lands, wilderness and lands with high conservation value were excluded from the study areas.
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On the Net:
Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement information: http://www.solareis.anl.gov