BLM Seeks Public Comments on Silurian Valley Solar Proposal

The Bureau of Land Management is considering Spain-based company Iberdrola's request to build a solar project on several square miles of the remote Silurian Valley, a beautiful stretch of desert along what KCET has described as California's "outback highway" - over 200 miles of two lane road that provides one of the best opportunities in the country to access solitude and wildlands.  BLM must take extra steps to review the application because the project is not proposed for a designated solar energy zone, and BLM has the discretion to scrap the project before it begins environmental review.  Iberdrola is also interested in building a large wind facility in the Silurian Valley, although those plans have not been advanced recently.

The Silurian Valley is surrounded by desert wilderness areas, and is home to spring wildflower blooms and a segment of the 1,000 mile historic trade route known as Old Spanish Trail.  You can see some beautiful photos of the Silurian Valley at the blog of landscape photographer Michael E. Gordon.

Check out the "Take Action" page on this blog for more information on the Silurian Valley, and how to submit comments by e-mail.  The deadline to submit comments by e-mail is April 27!

Silurian Valley, with the Avawatz Mountains in the distance.  Much of this area will be industrialized if Iberdrola is allowed to move forward with its solar and wind projects here.

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