New Mexico Representative Martin Heinrich has introduced new bipartisan legislation in the form of the clean energy promotion act, H.R. 2662. The new act can provide up to $5 million yearly to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to promote renewable energy projects on public lands. The field offices of BLM will process current and future renewable energy applications.
“By facilitating renewable energy projects on our public lands, we can create jobs while building the clean energy economy,” remarked Heinrich. “This is a common sense, cost effective approach to promoting clean energy development.”
This funding will be achieved from existing rental payments paid by wind and solar developers for projects on BLM land and as new wind and solar projects receive approval, rental payments will increase. This will result in more renewable energy production. This act is so popular that BLM does not have the resources to process the applications it has received for renewable energy projects. To date, no single solar energy projects on BLM lands have been approved.