Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
LAS VEGAS — Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis visited Las Vegas today to highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s progress in meeting President Biden’s clean energy goals. She joined Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Nevada State Director Jon Raby to announce the completion of the final environmental analysis of the proposed Greenlink West Transmission Project. This project involves transmission lines connecting Reno and Las Vegas, aiming to deliver clean energy from the Nevada desert to the Western electric grid. If completed, it could transmit up to 4 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power at least 1.2 million homes.
The Department recently announced that BLM has permitted more than 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects, surpassing a major milestone ahead of 2025. This includes solar, wind, and geothermal projects, as well as gen-tie lines on public lands essential for connecting clean electricity projects on both federal and non-federal land to the grid.
“Large-scale transmission projects are key to the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of moving our nation towards a clean energy future with good-paying jobs and healthy local economies while tackling the climate crisis,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Daniel-Davis. “Working with states, Tribes and partners across the American West, we are taking bold steps to build the infrastructure that will get us to a 100% clean electric grid by 2035.”
“Our public lands play a key role in addressing the climate crisis,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “The BLM will continue to deliver on that promise, protecting healthy landscapes and restoring lands to health while permitting the infrastructure we need for the clean energy economy of the future.”
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda aims at growing the American economy from rebuilding infrastructure to driving over $860 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States.
The Greenlink West Transmission Project, proposed by NV Energy, includes constructing new electric transmission facilities crossing multiple counties including Clark and Washoe. The project also involves expanding four substations and constructing two new ones. Under BLM’s proposed alternative, this line would run through regions with potential for clean energy development and connect Nevada's clean energy resources with California's electric grid.
As of May 30, 2024, BLM is processing 67 utility-scale onshore clean energy projects proposed on public lands in western United States. These include solar, wind, geothermal projects as well as interconnected gen-tie lines vital for non-federal land-based projects. Combined these have potential to add approximately 30,926 megawatts of renewable energy.
A Notice of Availability will be published in Friday’s Federal Register for associated final environmental impact statement and resource management plan amendments. This begins a 30-day protest period ending July 15 and a 60-day Governor’s consistency review ending August 13. Input received during this time will inform a Record of Decision expected later this year.
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