It’s no secret that the Bush
administration is pushing for increased oil and gas development
across the West. But one often-overlooked recommendation of
Bush’s National Energy Policy calls for greater reliance on
sources of renewable energy, such as the sun and wind.
In
response, the Bureau of Land Management is studying the prospects
for developing wind energy on its 8.4 million acres of Western
lands. Working with the Idaho-based Argonne National Laboratory,
the BLM will produce an environmental impact statement to describe
plans for generating and distributing wind energy on its lands,
monitoring sites where it’s produced, and mitigating any
impacts. The statement will also explain how wind development could
affect the nation’s energy supply, security and
economy.
The public comment period is open until December
19, and the BLM is holding public meetings in Wyoming, Nevada and
Idaho. For more information, including where to submit your
comments, see www.windeis.anl.gov.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The BLM is blowing in the wind.
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