Plan to open 10% of Utah for solar energy faces environmental concerns

The U.S. government is considering opening up 10% of Utah’s land for solar power developments, but the proposal is facing opposition from state officials and some environmentalists who worry it could impact sensitive landscapes and habitats. Areas like Utah’s West Desert and the shores of the Great Salt Lake, which are home to threatened species such as the desert bighorn sheep, the Mojave desert tortoise, and the greater sage grouse, could be affected by the plan.

“Instead of a targeted approach, the government is painting the whole desert green to become available for solar,” said Patrick Donnelly, the Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “And that could lead to resource conflicts and environmental damage.”

Federal authorities argue that the initiative will focus only on lands that have already been disturbed or degraded, and that areas critical for wildlife habitats, cultural resources, or those already protected, will be off-limits for development. They also emphasize that any proposed solar projects will require environmental reviews before being approved.

The designation of 5 million acres in Utah for renewable energy use is part of the Bureau of Land Management’s Western Solar Plan, introduced in August.

If implemented, the agency estimates that the initiative could reduce around 123 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to removing nearly 30 million gas-powered cars from the road for a year.

“The updated Western Solar Plan is a responsible, pragmatic strategy for developing solar energy on our nation’s public lands that supports national clean energy goals and long-term national energy security,” Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning said in a statement. “It will drive responsible solar development to locations with fewer potential conflicts while helping the nation transition to a clean energy economy.”