July, 24 2012, 04:28pm EDT

Interior Unveils First-ever National Solar Energy Plan for Public Lands
The Departments of the Interior and Energy released a final plan for solar energy development on public lands in the West, marking a historic milestone in our nation's effort to accelerate environmentally responsible renewable energy generation that will create jobs, reduce greenhouse gases, and contribute to national energy security.
WASHINGTON
The Departments of the Interior and Energy released a final plan for solar energy development on public lands in the West, marking a historic milestone in our nation's effort to accelerate environmentally responsible renewable energy generation that will create jobs, reduce greenhouse gases, and contribute to national energy security.
The plan known as the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement is the first-ever roadmap for large-scale solar energy development on lands managed by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
Over the past two years, a diverse coalition of stakeholders - including solar energy companies, clean energy advocates, conservation groups and electric utilities, working together in an unprecedented fashion - provided joint comments and actively engaged in finding solutions that work for solar energy as well as for wildlife and wildlands. These groups advocated for balanced, guided development that avoids, minimizes, and effectively mitigates impacts on wildlife and sensitive lands and reduces the uncertainty and time for permitting of solar power projects and associated transmission - a process advocates call "smart from the start."
This diverse group of companies and organizations is unanimous in thanking Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, his staff and the Bureau of Land Management, as well as Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and his staff, for their collaborative efforts to provide a robust solar program and for presiding over an open and transparent process. We applaud both Departments' intentions to further the nation's clean energy goals in a balanced, environmentally-sensitive way that minimizes the controversies that can attend large new energy developments on public lands.
There are still important efforts remaining both at the programmatic and project levels to flesh out the central tenets laid out in the solar plan. Over the next several days, the groups will review the SPEIS in closer detail, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to implement an environmentally responsible solar energy program.
This statement is jointly released by the following groups and individuals: Audubon, Brightsource Energy Inc., Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, Center for New Energy Economy, Cleanline Partners, DBL Ventures, Defenders of Wildlife, enXco, First Solar, Inc., Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Large-scale Solar Association, Kris Mayes, former Arizona Corporation Commissioner, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy, NRG Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Sierra Club, Solar Energy Industries Association, Southern California Edison, Vote Solar, The Wilderness Society.
Following are statements of support:
"Interior's final solar program culminates two years of a lot of hard work and commitment by many diverse groups," said Helen O'Shea, director of NRDC's Western Renewable Energy Project. "I'm hopeful that the plan will establish a roadmap that provides a balanced approach to addressing the climate change challenge and protecting wildlife and critical lands while moving our nation closer to meeting our clean energy goals."
"The BLM Solar plan demonstrates that we as Americans don't have to choose between clean alternative energy and a healthy environment," said Mike Daulton, vice president for public affairs at Audubon. "We can have the future we want - one where we enjoy a healthy climate, and where birds and other wildlife thrive."
"Renewable energy development on federal lands is essential to reaching our national clean energy goals," said Arthur L. Haubenstock, vice president of regulatory affairs at Brightsource Energy Inc. "We appreciate the extensive efforts of Secretaries Chu and Salazar and the Departments of Energy and Interior on the Solar PEIS and we look forward to developing our next generation of utility-scale concentrating solar power projects to provide utilities with clean, sustainable and reliable solar energy."
"Renewable energy is vital to our economy and our planet's survival. We are pleased that Secretary Salazar has produced a roadmap for how to get to a renewable and environmentally sustainable future," said V. John White, executive director of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies.
"Colorado's clean energy economy is one of the greatest success stories to date. Smart planning that identifies the best places for large solar projects will help provide the tools we need to keep building renewables here and across the west - putting Americans to work and protecting conservation values," said Bill Ritter, director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University and former Governor of Colorado.
"Clean Line Energy is pleased to see the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement moving forward," said Jimmy Glotfelty, executive vice president of Clean Line Energy. "We believe that this collaboration is a step in the right direction that will lead to building solar energy transparently and responsibly in the West, ultimately resulting in a cleaner energy economy."
"The need for significant quantities of renewable energy has never been greater," said Nancy Pfund, founder and managing partner at DBL Investors. "The Solar Program that will be established through the Solar PEIS issued today holds the promise of using appropriate federal lands to serve the public good, by providing clean energy at scale to power our economy. The Solar PEIS represents the hard work and dedication of the BLM, the Departments of Energy and Interior, and many environmental and renewable energy stakeholders, all of whom recognize the great importance of renewable energy to our future and who promote the use of our federal lands for this great purpose. I applaud their efforts, and look forward to the realization of the promise of this new solar program for federal lands."
"It's smart business to guide energy development to places where conflicts with nature can be avoided or minimized. Being smart from the start will allow more projects to move ahead, providing good paying jobs while reducing the risk to wildlife and other natural resources," said Jim Lyons, senior director of renewable energy at Defenders of Wildlife. "Balancing our nation's energy production by increasing solar, wind and geothermal sources will strengthen our economy, improve energy security and reduce greenhouse gases. This solar energy plan is an important step in that direction."
"This is great news for business across Arizona, particularly here in Greater Phoenix where we host many leading solar companies and research institutions," said Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. "Large-scale solar energy development on public lands is key to Arizona making the most of its natural assets - our abundant land and sunshine - and to getting our state economy on a growing, sustainable track."
"The Department of the Interior has taken an enormous step forward in establishing a plan for rapid, utility-scale development of Arizona's solar resources on American lands. Arizona's first solar energy zones are a terrific start - directing development and driving investment in transmission so that planners and developers can work together to build this industry. It is my hope that the success of this program will build upon itself, and that these zones are the first of many low conflict sites we can work together to identify for renewable energy development," said Kris Mayes, former Arizona Corporation Commissioner and professor of law at Arizona State University.
"The release of the final Solar PEIS marks the beginning of a new era for how energy can be developed on our public lands for both people and nature," said Michael Powelson, director of Energy Programs at The Nature Conservancy. "The Bureau of Land Management should be applauded for taking a giant step forward on developing the structure and substance of a mitigation program, which avoids high priority conservation areas and ensures all impacts are addressed."
"Pacific Gas and Electric Company delivers some of the nation's cleanest electric power. More than half of the electricity we deliver to our customers comes from sources that are clean and/or emit no greenhouse gases. This includes a growing portfolio of solar energy, which we project will contribute about forty percent of our total Renewables Portfolio Standard-eligible power deliveries in 2020," said Fong Wan, senior vice president, Energy Procurement for Pacific Gas & Electric. "We commend the Department of the Interior for its thoughtful and collaborative approach to developing the nation's first solar energy plan that aims to increase the certainty around solar project development, while protecting sensitive habitat and wildlife - two goals which PG&E strongly supports. We look forward to reviewing the final full report."
"This Administration's design for solar development on public lands is based on sound principles, particularly by focusing projects in locations with the lowest impacts on wildlife habitat, lands and water," said Barbara Boyle, senior campaign representative at the Sierra Club. "Limiting projects to low impact zones will also reduce the financial and natural resource costs of electrical transmission. We look forward to reviewing this plan and providing input to the Department of Interior so it will be implemented on our public lands with the strongest possible stewardship principles."
"California's renewable energy goals are among the most ambitious in the nation. In support of these goals, Southern California Edison procures more energy from renewable resources than any other utility in the U.S." said Nino Mascolo, manager of government lands and forestry for Southern California Edison Company. "However, we continue to experience challenges related to the permitting and siting of transmission infrastructure interconnecting with renewable energy projects. The Solar PEIS seeks to address these issues. SCE looks forward to reviewing the final solar energy development PEIS, which we understand is intended to streamline the approval of solar energy projects and the necessary transmission system infrastructure to support such generation."
"The release of the Solar PEIS represents a significant step for renewable energy development on public lands, helping in the fight against climate change while building a stronger clean energy economy," said Jim Baak, director of policy for utility scale solar at Vote Solar. "Though work remains to refine the plan, we look forward to continued collaboration with DOI, DOE, conservation partners and private industry to chart the best path forward for harnessing homegrown clean energy on federally managed lands in an environmentally responsible way."
"As America moves towards a clean energy future it is paramount that we balance energy development with the dire need to protect our last remaining wildlands," said Chase Huntley, clean energy policy director at The Wilderness Society. "The Interior Department's strong leadership puts smart planning at the forefront. This is the quickest route to meeting the renewables targets set by Congress consistent with protecting our dwindling undeveloped wildlands."
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Mike Lee Tries to Sneak Public Land Sale Back Into 'Big, Ugly Bill' Ahead of Senate Vote
"Republicans are STILL trying to sell off public lands in their budget bill," said Sen. Ron Wyden. "If you care about keeping your public lands please make your voice heard."
Jun 28, 2025
Ahead of a vote on Republicans' budget reconciliation package expected as soon as noon Saturday, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee revived his effort to sell off public lands.
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has blocked multiple provisions of the GOP megabill, including several under the jurisdiction of the Utah Republican's panel. Among them is his attack on public lands.
"Here we go again," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said on social media after Lee released new text for his committee late Friday.
"Republicans are STILL trying to sell off public lands in their budget bill," Wyden continued. "Republicans are trying to get this over the finish line by the end of the weekend. If you care about keeping your public lands please make your voice heard."
"Americans left, right, and center have come together with one voice to say these landscapes shouldn't be sold off to fund tax cuts for the uberwealthy—not now, not ever."
Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, said in a Saturday morning statement that "the new version of Mike Lee's public lands sell-off is like cutting 'most' of the mercury out of your diet. The fact of the matter is that Mike Lee has spent the better part of a decade trying to privatize our public lands, and with his new power in the Senate, he's trying to push that agenda even further without public input, without transparency, and shame."
"Americans left, right, and center have come together with one voice to say these landscapes shouldn't be sold off to fund tax cuts for the uberwealthy—not now, not ever," Manuel added. "Congress needs to listen to their constituents, not billionaires and private developers, and keep the 'public' in public lands.”
A document from Lee states that his "amended proposal dramatically narrows the scope of lands to be sold for housing... in communities where it is desperately needed" in the U.S. West. The new version would exclude all Forest Service land and reduce the amount of Bureau of Land Management acres to be sold by half.
"It's still bullshit,"responded Noelle Porter, government affairs director at the National Housing Law Project.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has recently said: "This isn't about building more housing or energy dominance. It's about giving their billionaire buddies YOUR land and YOUR money."
"From the Sierra Club to Joe Rogan, everybody is pissed off about Republicans' public lands sell-off," he wrote on social media Friday. "This is the broadest coalition I've seen around public lands in my lifetime, so keep making sure your voices are heard because we're winning."
Jane Fonda's climate-focused political action committee similarly stressed on social media Friday that "Lee is committed to including a massive public land sale provision in the Big Beautiful Bill. We need you to keep up the pressure and reach out to your senators today and demand they reject any new sales of public lands in this legislation."
And it's not just the land sales in the Friday night text of what critics call the "big, ugly bill." It also "creates new fees for renewable energy projects on public lands, and cuts royalty rates for oil, gas, and coal production on public lands," noted Sam Ricketts, co-founder of S2 Strategies, which is working to build a clean energy economy. "Make it make sense."
As Manuel and Heinrich pointed out, some right-wingers are also outraged by Lee's push to sell off public lands. Benji Backer, founder of Nature Is Nonpartisan and the American Conservation Coalition, took aim at the committee chair on social media Friday night.
"Mike Lee just quietly doubled down on his mass public lands sel-loff by releasing new text," Backer said. "The Senate could consider it as soon as tomorrow. The secrecy is gross—and intentional. Lee knows it's his only path. America, we NEED to stand strong.
Tagging the Senate GOP account and Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Backer added that "Americans are entirely UNITED in opposition against this. Please ask Sen. Lee to let this provision... stand on its own—at the very least."
Even if the Senate somehow advances Lee's legislation, it could face trouble in the House of Representatives, which is also narrowly controlled by the GOP. On Thursday, Republican Reps. Ryan Zinke (Mont.), David Valadao (Calif.), Mike Simpson (Idaho), Dan Newhouse (Wash.), and Cliff Bentz (Ore.) warned that "we cannot accept the sale of federal lands that Sen. Lee seeks."
"If a provision to sell public lands is in the bill that reaches the House floor, we will be forced to vote no," warned the lawmakers, led by Zinke, who was the interior secretary during President Donald Trump's first term. Lee's provision, they wrote, would be a "grave mistake, unforced error, and poison pill that will cause the bill to fail should it come to the House floor."
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Senate GOP and Fetterman Block Effort to Stop Trump's War on Iran
"The current cease-fire is fragile—and the only path to lasting peace is diplomacy, not another cycle of American military escalation," one campaigner stressed after lawmakers refused to advance the resolution.
Jun 27, 2025
Nearly all U.S. Senate Republicans and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania on Friday evening blocked a resolution that reiterated Congress' authority to declare war and would have ordered President Donald Trump to stop taking military action against Iran without congressional approval.
Every other member of the Democratic Caucus and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) supported holding a final vote on the resolution—which Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, announced last week, before Trump's weekend bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities.
"We commend Sen. Kaine for his steadfast leadership in bringing this resolution, and the U.S. senators who stood on the right side of history today in safeguarding against yet another senseless war."
Citing the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Kaine's measure states that "the question of whether United States forces should be engaged in hostilities against Iran should be answered following a full briefing to Congress and the American public of the issues at stake, a public debate in Congress, and a congressional vote."
Pointing to various other federal laws, Kaine's resolution "directs the president to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government or military, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran."
In a statement after Friday's 47-53 vote, Kaine said that "the Framers of our Constitution gave Congress the power to declare war because they believed that the decision to send our nation's men and women in uniform into harm's way was too big for any one person. The Trump administration's chaotic strategy on Iran confused the American people and created significant risks for service members and their families."
"I am disappointed that many of my colleagues are not willing to stand up and say Congress needs to be part of a decision as important as whether or not the U.S. should send our nation's sons and daughters to fight against Iran," Kaine added. "I will continue to do all I can to keep presidents of any party from starting wars without robust public debate by Congress."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who caucuses with Democrats, was among the lawmakers who spoke in support of Kaine's resolution ahead of the vote. "We do not need another unnecessary and costly war. We have had enough of them," he said on the Senate floor, pointing out that the Vietnam War and the U.S. invasion of Iraq were "based on a series of lies."
"We should not go to war against Iran," Sanders declared. He condemned Trump's recent attack on the Middle Eastern country as "unconstitutional," and argued that "diplomacy is a better path," as demonstrated by the nuclear deal in 2015—which Trump ultimately ditched during his first term.
Sanders also made the case that the U.S. should not be allied with "war criminal" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who started the bombing of Iran and is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his mass slaughter of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
"Enough is enough," the senator said, noting that the U.S. gives Netanyahu's government billions of dollars in annual military aid. "It is beyond absurd that we continue to finance Israel's wars while neglecting the needs of our own people."
Meanwhile, in response to a question from a BBC reporter on Friday, Trump said that he would "without question, absolutely" consider bombing Iran again if intelligence suggested the country could enrich uranium to a level that concerned him.
After the Senate vote, National Iranian American Council president Jamal Abdi said that the outcome "says more about the makeup of the Senate than it does the merits of the resolution. Regardless, we saw a near majority do the right thing and stand up against war and for democracy, despite a cavalcade of misinformation from war hawks. We will continue to press the case that war with Iran is against U.S. interests and U.S. security, and redouble our work to prevent the conflict from reigniting."
"We commend Sen. Kaine for his steadfast leadership in bringing this resolution, and the U.S. senators who stood on the right side of history today in safeguarding against yet another senseless war," he continued, noting the cease-fire between Israel and Iran that Trump announced earlier this week.
"Though a cease-fire is holding for now, the most certain way to guarantee peace is through an abandonment of war and a bold pursuit of sincere negotiations," Abdi added. "We urge our Members of Congress to change course, and urgently support a return to U.S.—Iran talks and a diplomatic pathway forward for both countries."
We took an oath to defend the Constitution - just like every Senator. Today, Republicans broke that oath. We WILL hold them accountable. (2/2)
— VoteVets (@votevets.org) June 27, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Also responding to the Friday development in a statement, Demand Progress senior policy adviser Cavan Kharrazian asserted that "today's vote sends a powerful message: There is a bipartisan movement to reject more war in the Middle East and prevent us from being unilaterally dragged into war before Congress and the American people can have their say."
"We thank Sen. Kaine for his leadership and Sen. Paul for his principled vote to stand up for the Constitution," Kharrazian said, urging the House of Representatives to pass a similar resolution led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
Ahead of the Senate's vote, more than 41,000 people nationwide had signed a petition from the progressive group MoveOn Civic Action that calls on Congress to vote for the resolutions in both chambers.
"The current cease-fire is fragile—and the only path to lasting peace is diplomacy, not another cycle of American military escalation," Kharrazian emphasized. "The U.S. must lead with restraint, not repeat the mistakes of endless war."
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Muslim Lawmakers Decry 'Vile' Bipartisan Islamophobic Attacks on Zohran Mamdani
The lawmakers asserted that "smears from our colleagues on both sides of the aisle" cannot be allowed to continue.
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All four Muslim members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday condemned their colleagues' Islamophobic attacks on Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, which have come not only from Republicans but also from at least two congressional Democrats representing the candidate's home state.
"The vile, anti-Muslim, and racist smears from our colleagues on both sides of the aisle attacking Zohran Mamdani cannot be met with silence," Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), André Carson (D-Ind.), and Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) said in a joint statement.
"At a time of increased violence against elected officials, we cannot allow the attacks on Zohran Mamdani to continue."
Mamdani—a democratic socialist who would be the first Muslim mayor of the nation's largest city if he wins November's general election—has come under fire by Republicans including Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, who on Thursday formally appealed to U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi to initiate proceedings to denaturalize and deport "little Muhammad."
Earlier this week, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) posted a photo of Mamdani wearing a traditional tunic with the caption, "After 9/11 we said, 'Never Forget.' I think sadly we have forgotten."
As of Friday afternoon, no Democratic member of Congress from New York had explicitly condemned their GOP colleagues' Islamophobic remarks. To the contrary, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) falsely claimed Thursday that Mamdani had made references to "global jihad" and spuriously asserted that "globalize the intifada"—a call for Palestinian liberation and battling injustice—is a call to "kill all the Jews."
Freshman Rep. Lauren Gillen (D-N.Y.) also falsely accused Mamdani of "a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments."
The four Muslim lawmakers said in their statement that "these hateful, Islamophobic, and racist tropes have become so entrenched and normalized in our politics."
"We know these attacks all too well," they added.
Omar and Tlaib have been on the receiving end of Islamophobic attacks by House colleagues and outside death threats for years, stemming in part from Omar's status as refugee and Tlaib's as the only Palestinian American in Congress.
Like Mamdani, both lawmakers have also been targeted from both sides of the aisle for their support for Palestinian liberation, as well as their opposition to Israel's invasion, occupation, colonization and apartheid in Palestine, and the assault and siege of Gaza that are the subject of an ongoing International Court of Justice genocide case.
Advocacy groups have reported a sharp increase in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate incidents since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel, a climate reminiscent of the pervasive Islamophobia following the September 11, 2001 attacks. There has also been a surge in antisemitism as Israeli forces obliterate Gaza, although critics have decried the widespread conflation of opposition to Zionism with hatred of Jewish people by groups including the Anti-Defamation League.
"At a time of increased violence against elected officials, we cannot allow the attacks on Zohran Mamdani to continue," the four lawmakers stressed. "They directly contribute to the ongoing dehumanization and violence against Muslim Americans. We unequivocally reject the normalization of anti-Muslim hate and fearmongering and call on elected leaders across our country to speak out."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) also issued a statement Friday condemning the "outpouring of disgraceful, dangerous, racist ideology from sitting members of Congress and [Trump] administration officials following Zohran Mamdani's win in the New York mayoral primary."
Jayapal continued:
The constant displays of Islamophobia are an affront to the millions of Muslim Americans and Muslims around the world. One of the most jarring called for the denaturalization and deportation of Mr. Mamdani, an American citizen who just won a massive Democratic primary with more votes than that member, Mr. Ogles, could ever hope to win. This is an insult to voters in New York City who take democracy seriously.
Denaturalization of U.S. citizens is part of the Trump playbook to attack all legal immigration. It is completely outrageous and flies in the face of the laws of this country.
"The hateful language directed at Mr. Mamdani will get someone killed, and we all should be outraged," Jayapal added. "It must end. Every person who cares about democracy, freedom of religion, and the right for all Americans to be treated equally should speak out immediately against these insane and dangerous attacks."
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