BLM flags two large solar proposals; county raises vegetation and conformance concerns

Melanie Peterson of the Bureau of Land Management told the Natural Resources Advisory Committee on July 21 that the agency was screening two major solar proposals in White Pine County. Peterson said there is “a new solar application by Apollo Solar through Arevia for 6,800 acres in Newark/Jakes Valley area for a 1,000-mw solar facility with a 33-mile gentie line,” and separately discussed Lonely Road Solar, a proposed 600-MW, 7,400-acre development roughly 10 miles outside Ely between Robinson Mine and Robinson Summit.

Peterson said BLM had not started NEPA for Apollo Solar and was preparing a baseline needs assessment for the companies; she flagged conformance concerns and questioned the scale of proposed vegetation removal for Lonely Road. County representatives noted Engie and Lonely Road had visited NRAC previously but had not toured the project site. Caleb Cage of Engie later told the committee he has been engaging with the Board of County Commissioners monthly and planned to attend the next BOCC meeting.

BLM also said its authorization to work on certain projects was constrained by a July memo affecting solar projects and that additional steps (appraisals, plan-of-development updates) remain before NEPA can advance. The committee did not take formal action but was asked to provide technical comments for the supplemental EIS for some projects and to consider appraisals and land-sale notices on a separate BLM schedule.